THE treatment of cultural and historical artefacts by the authorities in Pakistan leaves a lot to be desired. Either the state has been neglectful in preserving historical treasures, or it has looked the other way as artefacts have been smuggled out or sold for profit. An example of this official carelessness was highlighted in a report published in this paper on Sunday: priceless historical relics in Karachi belonging to the Moenjodaro and Mehrgarh periods may be facing the risk of theft as well as damage due to improper handling by the authorities concerned. The artefacts are being transported from private premises to the National Museum of Pakistan in the metropolis. However, the manner in which they are being packed and transported seems to be highly unprofessional. Though Sindh Archaeology Department officials say the shifting is being overseen by qualified technical staff, professional archaeologists told this paper they had serious reservations about the way the objects were being handled. Moreover, they point out that the archaeology officials are not properly keeping track of what is being shifted, which means the objects — some of which date back millennia — can be ‘disappeared’. A photograph published with the news report clearly shows the artefacts casually placed in boxes, as if they were regular objects of little worth.

This is not the first time ad hoc measures have been applied when dealing with antiquities; in the past there have been reports of similar non-professional methods used to deal with the objects kept in the Taxila museum. With the provinces now firmly in charge of the cultural sphere, they must address these inadequate methods of dealing with our history. In the present case, since the relics had to be moved, experts should have been consulted in order to package and transport them in a professional manner. Instead of applying the usual unfeeling bureaucratic touch, perhaps students with a passion for history and culture could have been engaged to help shift the objects with due care. There is still time to bring in professionals in order to properly shift, list and transport the objects, which are about 35,000 in number, if the Sindh authorities so desire. Looking at the bigger picture, officialdom needs to reconsider its attitude towards handling history for unless things change, very soon there may be very few artefacts left to display. This uncaring and apathetic approach towards dealing with our rich history requires an urgent reset.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2015

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