The Standing Committee on National Heritage and Culture has appreciated the Ministry's efforts to secure the repatriation of 1,252 precious archaeological artefacts from abroad, but directed it to provide a comprehensive account of existing preventive mechanisms and technical capacity for authenticating antiquities at its next meeting.
The direction was issued at the ninth meeting of the committee, held at Parliament House under the chairpersonship of MNA Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar.
The committee was informed that, following sustained efforts and continuous follow-up, the Ministry had secured the repatriation of 1,252 artefacts from the United States, Australia, Italy and other countries during the past year.
Expressing concern over the illicit excavation, trafficking and unauthorised export of archaeological artefacts, the committee directed the Ministry to furnish details of artefacts repatriated during the past five years, along with information on preventive mechanisms and technical capacity available for their authentication.
Regarding international cooperation and foreign assistance for the preservation and conservation of Pakistan's cultural heritage, the Ministry informed the committee that Pakistan was a state party to the 1954 Hague Convention and its Protocol, the 1970 UNESCO Convention concerning the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, and the 1972 World Heritage Convention.
The committee was informed that, under UNESCO assistance, $75,000 each was received in 2022 for the Moenjodaro and Makli World Heritage Sites for post-disaster response to monsoon-related hazards. In 2025, $49,139 was provided for the conservation and restoration of Takht-i-Bahi and the neighbouring city of Sahr-i-Bahlol.
The committee stressed that all conservation work undertaken with external or foreign assistance must undergo qualified technical inspection and systematic, documented monitoring, while the utilisation of funds must remain transparent and accountable.
The committee also endorsed the Ministry's initiative to provide voluntary academic guidance to CSS aspirants at the National Library of Pakistan through experienced officers and resource persons. The proposed sessions will cover compulsory subjects, including English, Pakistan Studies, General Knowledge, Pakistan history and Everyday Science.
It particularly appreciated the focus on English grammar and composition, précis and report writing, and official writing skills. However, it stressed that the initiative should remain within the National Library's mandate and available resources and should not create any undue financial or administrative liability.
The committee also called for an appropriate mechanism to maintain attendance and participation records and periodically assess the effectiveness and outcomes of the initiative.
The meeting was attended by committee members Samar Haroon Bilour, Saeeda Jamshid, Ghazala Anjum, Shahnaz Saleem Malik, Mahtab Akbar Rashdi, Natasha Daultana, Saba Talpur, Sanjay Perwani and Naeema Kishwer Khan, as well as Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, Secretary National Heritage and Culture Division and senior officials of the Ministry and its subordinate departments.
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