The Derawar Fort police assert that they have detained three persons for allegedly collecting antiquities from Cholistan districts, harming historical sites, and engaging in unlawful excavation.
In his application to the managing director (MD) of the Cholistan Development Authority (CDA), Bahawalpur, Muhammad Ijaz-ur-Rehman of Ahmedpur East claimed that some people had excavated land at various archaeology sites at Azeamwali, Sadhuwala, Gnwearliwala, and Marachiwala and taken antiques. This prompted the police to take action.
For further investigation, the MD forwarded the application to the Punjab Director of Archaeology in Lahore. According to Sub-Divisional Officer Sajjadul Haq, who spoke with Dawn, he visited the places mentioned and, after examining the evidence, reported the incident to the police for handling. According to the SDO’s report, the Derawar police filed a complaint under the Antiquities Act of 1975 after claiming to have detained three individuals named Allah Wasaya, Tara, and Rashid. The males who were detained, according to the police, were from Rajanpur, and more suspects were anticipated to be apprehended.
The regional archaeology department has recommended excavation at three prospective heritage sites in Cholistan that, in the opinion of the authorities, may include artifacts from ancient human settlements in March 2021. The old Nawab of Bahawalpur’s Shikargah (hunting area), which is under the control of Ahmedpur East tehsil of the district, has been the subject of a proposal from department officials to their provincial office in Lahore to begin excavation at these sites in the Cholistan desert area.
Sajjad Malik, an archaeology sub-divisional officer, told Dawn that the Cholistan Development Authority (CDA) managing director had informed the department that his field staff had discovered three locations — Snaika Thair (mound) at 33-DRB village on the Derawar-Liquatpur road, Parhara Thair in Basti Azeamwali in the interior of Cholistan, and Sadhowala Thair close to 96-DNB village. According to the SDO, department personnel recently examined these areas in response to the proposal and discovered there were traces of illegal excavation, including trenches and ditches.
He continued by saying that other artifacts and big potsherds were also discovered there by the teams. An official claimed that since the locations were not safeguarded by the government, local “treasure seekers” may have been illegally excavating there. He believed that the artifacts discovered at these locations appeared to date from the Harappa era. He claimed that it had been suggested to the department that it include law enforcement in the protection measures for these locations and begin excavating there.
