Pakistani fasting Buddha (photo credit: Christie's)
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(Asia Sentinel) Christie’s halts a planned auction of a rare Pakistani artifact
At the behest of UNESCO, the fine arts auction house Christie’s has
halted a planned auction this month of a fasting Buddha, a nearly
2,000-year-old statue from the Gandhara civilisation, which was believed
to have been stolen from Pakistan and sold to a private collector in
Germany in the 1980s.
The grey schist figure of the emaciated Siddhartha, or ‘Fasting Buddha’,
was called the most fascinating 3rd or 4th century Gandhara piece in
Christie’s entire collection. Islamabad’s Department of Archaeology and
Museums was spurred to look deeper for Pakistan-origin artifacts that
might have reached the auctioneer surreptitiously for sale. The search
revealed that Christie’s was in possession of 60 more Gandhara-period
relics with price tags ranging from $2,000 to $200,000.
Pakistani authorities must prove their claim that the sale was illegal
if they are to recover the Buddha. What will become of it remains to be
seen, yet this news evokes realization of the country’s cultural
heritage despite its increasingly tarnished image as a hub of myopia and
intolerance.
Located at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia, Western Asia and
the Arab Gulf region, Pakistan’s heritage is in fact both diverse and
unique. Its historical sites range from the ancient urban settlements of
Mohenjo-daro from the Indus Valley civilization of Sindh and the rich
Buddhist Ghandara civilization, to Mughal monuments, shrines of Muslim
mystics, Sikh and Hindu temples and colonial period architecture, as
well as numerous natural wonders.
However, at present the cultural diversity of Pakistan and its
invaluable natural landscapes receive little attention in comparison to
the gigantic political, social and economic problems confronting the
country. It is also unfortunate that the present international image of
Pakistan obscures the cultural heritage of the country, leading to its
increased international isolation. In order to reverse such disturbing
trends, it is vital to draw attention to its unique cultural heritage
and harnesses its potential to promote a more balanced picture of the
country.
In order to do so, it is necessary for relevant government institutions
to make greater efforts to protect and promote the aspirations of the
diverse range of ethnic and linguistic groups which reside in Pakistan.
Instead of devising top-down bureaucratic interventions, efforts must be
made to encourage increased participation of marginalized local
communities, including women, in conservation and management of varied
national cultural assets, including historical buildings, local
literature, folklore and even music. After all, this heritage is a
testament to the rich diversity of cultures and religions in this land
for centuries.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Culture acknowledges the need to recognize and
promote its cultural diversity, including appreciation and respect for
the multitude of cultures that have been a part of Pakistan’s history.
However, its low priority and the lack of sufficient resource allocation
to realize this goal has resulted in rather ad hoc attempts to promote
cultural heritage, mostly in the form of renovation or preservation of a
very limited number of historical sites, such as the 17th century
Shalimar Gardens built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan or the 16th
century Lahore Fort built by the Mughal emperor Akbar. There is an
absence of practical measures for protection, conservation and
maintenance of numerous other heritage sites strewn across Pakistan.
Last year, a Quaid-i-Azam University survey documented 450 heritage
sites in Islamabad and Rawalpindi alone which are in desperate need of
protection and preservation. These sites included Buddhist settlements,
ancient caves, rock shelters and temples. Preservation and promotion of
traditional skills and crafts, music and literature is under similar
threat due to lack of suitable conservation policies and financial
support.
Pakistan’s natural heritage is similarly being subjected to the
onslaught of population pressures and commercial exploitation. While the
government has taken some steps to protect the environment by creating
Environmental Protection Agencies at the federal and provincial levels,
these entities continue to struggle with a host of resource and capacity
deficiencies due to which they remain ineffective in halting the threat
of encroachment, deforestation and pollution of Pakistan’s
irreplaceable natural heritage.
Cultural tourism perhaps offers the best means to promote cultural
assets, while at the same time deriving economic benefits out of them.
There are ample international examples from Southeast Asia, and parts of
Africa and South America indicating how cultural and ecological sites
can be preserved through adoption of sustainable tourism plans. Although
there is huge dormant potential for tourism in Pakistan, growing
insecurity in the country must be tackled first.
(Syed Mohammad Ali is a freelance columnist and consultant. This article was written for the Common Ground News Service.)
KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has failed in his bid to haul up Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor to court to testify in his Sodomy II trial.
