TAXILA, Dec 17: The disappearance of 81 antiquities from the Archaeological Museum Taxila is shrouded in mystery even after seven years of the greatest archaic theft in the history of Pakistan.

The precious antiquities of the Gandhara civilization, according to the museum administration, were ‘stolen’ from the show-cases of the museum on December 16, 1999. The antiquities were discovered by Sir John Marshall, during excavations carried out between 1813 to 1835.

“We have no clue to the theft,” is what the museum administration claims. An inquiry in this regard was put in ‘cold storage’ by the authorities due to unknown reasons, informed people say.

Official data reveals that the police personnel and security guards, deputed at the museum, were holding each other responsible for the theft. While a departmental inquiry, conducted after the disappearance, had ruled out the involvement of museum staff and held the police responsible.

Even then, experts say, the museum staff can not be absolved of criminal negligence. But so far the administration has taken no action against any official.

It is surprising for the common people that how 81 precious antiquities could be stolen in the presence of over a dozen police and security guards at the museum. “Were they sleeping or had closed their eyes when the intruders broke into the museum?” they question and the authorities have no answer to it.

Many people believe that the valuable antiquities, worth millions of dollars in the international market, were stolen by some organized group in collusion with the police and security guards.

The administration’s efforts to bury the theft under the carpet is also raising several questions. First: why no action has been taken against the staff on charges of negligence. Second: why the matter was not being pursued vigorously.—Correspondent