Italy returns stolen artifacts to Pakistan
Italy has returned a collection of ancient artifacts stolen from archaeological sites in Pakistan’s Balochistan province
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (MNTV) — Italy has returned a collection of ancient artifacts stolen from archaeological sites in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, the Pakistani Embassy in Rome announced Tuesday, calling the handover an example of “excellent bilateral cooperation.”
The artifacts — linked to early Bronze Age Kuli and Naal cultures, which predate the Indus Valley Civilization — were handed over in Rome and arrived in Pakistan on Oct. 30, 2025. Italian authorities had confiscated the pieces after they were smuggled out of the country.
Seven additional items recovered earlier this year were handed to Pakistan’s consulate in Milan in April.
“The recovery of stolen and smuggled artifacts is an outstanding example of cooperation between two friendly states, both home to ancient civilizations and UNESCO sites,” the embassy said.
Nearly 100 stolen pieces have been recovered and returned to Pakistan in the past 18 years.
The statement also highlighted decades of Pakistan–Italy collaboration in archaeology, including the work of Professors Luca Maria Olivieri and Valeria Fiorani Piacentini, both recipients of Pakistan’s national honours.
It also referenced the Italian Archaeological Mission, founded in 1955 by Professor Giuseppe Tucci in Swat, whose work has been central to excavations in the region.
Italy, the mission noted, remains committed to strengthening “mutual trust and friendship” with Pakistan.
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