Illegal excavation of archaeological sites in Mardan, Swabi, Swat continues
Peshawar
April 8, 2021
MARDAN: Illegal excavation and digging of various archaeological sites has continued in various part of Mardan and Malakand divisions where rare antiquities, statues and coins were recovered by the smugglers.
It may be added that North Pakhtunkhwa, particularly Peshawar, Mardan and Malakand divisions, which includes Swat, have archaeological sites of Greco-Bactrian, Gandhara, Hindu Shahi and Muslim periods. Extremely rare antiquities including Fasting Buddhas, pottery and large number of gold, silver and copper coins were recovered mostly by smugglers and sold and smuggled abroad.
A prominent historian and expert on Gandhara civilization, Farhad Khawar, told this scribe that smugglers are busy in various part of Pakhtunkhwa, particularly at Topi in Swabi district where rare antiquities were recovered by the illegal occupants and sold to the dealers. He mentioned that a gang of sm