CHARSADDA: The district police foiled an attempt to smuggle artefacts, including statues of Buddha, in a truck and arrested its driver along with an alleged smuggler here on Wednesday.

District police officer Irfanullah Khan had constituted a raiding party after receiving information that artefacts, including Buddha’s statues, would be smuggled from Peshawar to Gilgit and onward to China.

The police signaled a truck at Sardaryab checkpost to stop for checking. On search, the police recovered artefacts and Buddha statues and arrested the driver, Hameedullah of Bajaur tribal district, and the alleged smuggler, Wajid, a resident of Peshawar.

DSP city Taj Mohammad Khan said that the artefacts included Buddha statues from Kanishka-era stated to be at least 2,000 years old.

The police registered the case and started further investigations.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2019