Historical Buddha era statues have been recovered from the Yousuf Kuli Graveyard in Mardan, according to a private news channel.
During an excavation activity for a burial, Buddha era statues were recovered by the undertakers which have now been handed over to the concerned department.
The discovery was reported to the local police and the statues handed over to the Department of Archaeology Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
The two statues are approximately 2 millennia old. One Buddha is 2 feet 8 inches and the other is 3 feet 7 inches.
The recent discovery comes in the midst of an ongoing inquiry against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s former Archaeology and Museums director Dr Abdul Samad.
Dr Abdul Samad has allegedly been found involved in illegal appointments and antiques’ theft, cases pertaining to the allegations are currently under process.
After a common citizen of Pakistan reached out to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan on his twitter about the arrest a few months back, the PM had replied with a tweet expecting the chairman National Accountability Bureau to take up the issue against the ‘disgraceful act.’
The chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Feb 16 took notice of the arrest of Dr. Abdul Samad, soon after the PM’s tweet.
On Feb 15, NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had arrested provincial director of archaeology and museums, Abdul Samad for misusing his authority.