ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has received seven historical artefacts from Italy in the latest effort by the two countries to combat the illicit trafficking of cultural treasures and strengthen cooperation in heritage preservation.
According to a statement issued by Pakistan’s Embassy in Rome on Thursday, the artefacts were recovered by Italy’s Guardia di Finanza, operating under the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance.
The objects were formally handed over to Pakistan’s Consulate General in Milan in April 2025 and arrived in Islamabad on Thursday. The latest repatriation follows the return of 90 Pakistani artefacts in October 2025.
Those items had been seized in 2007 by the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, a specialised unit under Italy’s Ministry of Culture dedicated to combating the theft and illegal trade of cultural property.
The embassy said the recoveries underscored the strong diplomatic ties between Pakistan and Italy and highlighted the effectiveness of bilateral mechanisms aimed at preventing the smuggling of antiquities and preserving historical heritage.
Pakistan and Italy have maintained a long-standing partnership
Pakistan and Italy have maintained a long-standing partnership in archaeology and conservation, with both countries possessing extensive collections of heritage sites, museums and repositories.
Their cooperation has expanded over the years to include archaeological research, heritage conservation, capacity building and professional training.
Italian involvement in Pakistan’s archaeological landscape dates back to 1955, when renowned scholar Professor Giuseppe Tucci established the Italian Archaeological Mission in Swat. In recognition of his contributions, he was awarded Pakistan’s Hilal-i-Imtiaz in 1959.
More recently, Italian archaeologists Professor Luca Olivieri and Professor Valeria Piacentini have also been honoured by Pakistan for their services to archaeology. They received the Sitara-i-Imtiaz in 2016 and the Tamgha-i-Pakistan in 2025.
The embassy noted that Pakistan’s cultural legacy spans several millennia and encompasses some of South Asia’s most important civilisations.
These include the approximately 7,000-year-old Neolithic settlement of Mehrgarh in Balochistan, the 5,000-year-old Indus Valley Civilisation extending from Mohenjo-daro in Sindh to Harappa in Punjab, and the Gandhara Buddhist civilisation, which flourished around 2,000 years ago in present-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Punjab is also home to two historic walled cities — Multan, often referred to as the “City of Saints”, and Lahore — both of which have played prominent roles in the region’s cultural and historical development.
Expressing gratitude to the Italian authorities, the embassy thanked the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, the Guardia di Finanza and the Office of Export Licensing at Italy’s Ministry of Culture for their role in recovering the objects and facilitating the documentation required for their return.
The embassy described the repatriation of the artefacts as a testament to the close friendship between Pakistan and Italy and their shared commitment to safeguarding humanity’s cultural heritage.
