ISLAMABAD: Reaffirming Washington’s broader cultural diplomacy efforts, US Embassy Director of Public Engagement Heidi Smith says educational exchanges, archaeological cooperation and heritage preservation continue to strengthen long-term Pakistan-US relations.
“The future collaboration will include training programmes, conservation partnerships, and sustained law enforcement coordination,” she told The News here on Tuesday.
Building on these efforts, Smith noted that in a significant milestone for cultural diplomacy and heritage protection, the United States had repatriated more than 450 illegally trafficked artifacts to Pakistan.
She said the artifacts’ return was a powerful signal of deepening bilateral cooperation and a growing global crackdown on antiquities’ smuggling.
The DPE said the returned antiquities, spanning thousands of years of South Asian civilisation, included a rare schist stone frieze depicting seven incarnations of the Buddha, terracotta figurines from Mehrgarh dating between 3500 and 2600 BCE, and the historically significant Gold Strato I coin minted around 105-85 BCE.
The coin stands as a reminder of the Indo-Greek kingdoms that once linked East and West through the Gandhara region of present-day northern Pakistan, according to her. She said the investigators traced the artifacts through provenance records, shipping documents, sales histories and expert assessments. “We hope these artifacts will inspire future generations to learn more about the remarkable civilisations that shaped this region,” she said.
