KOHAT: The local people have alleged that the archaeology department and the local administration have turned a blind eye to the continuous excavation at the archaeological sites in Togh Bala area and theft of precious items by some unscrupulous elements.

Shah Faisal, a journalist by profession, claimed while talking to Dawn on Saturday that thieves had taken away a box in a room under a pyramid by digging the brick walls on Friday night.

He recalled that a similar pyramid-like site was dug in 2000 from where a box was taken away from the brick room. He said the brick walls had been raised using clay soaked with sugarcane juice.

He said the people had been asking the archaeology department, the deputy commissioner and the police to stop the theft and own the place which was full with hundreds of expensive items, but to no avail.

Mr Faisal said dozens of small pyramids covered with stones still existed in the area. According to him, the pyramids existed from the time immemorial.

The journalist alleged that some people in the archaeology department might have been hand in glove with the thieves because no action was being taken against them at the government level since 2000.

Inaam Khan, chairman of Togh Bala youth organisation, claimed that some people came in the night and secretly dug a grave with shovels 10 feet deep near the mountain. He claimed the grave was the shrine of an unknown saint.

He asked the archaeology department officials to visit the area and search with metal detectors whether or not there was actually something under the landmasses near the mountain.

SHO Saddar Afzal Awan said the police had no record of the 2000 incident as the people had not lodged a proper complaint as yet. He, however, said he had asked the personnel to patrol the area in the night.

The police officer said information about shovels being used to dig the grave was being collected, adding the police would interrogate the owner of the house nearby the graveyard about whether or not a shovel was used to dig the grave.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2021