QUETTA: In Balochistan, particularly in areas like Chaman, Qila Saifullah, Qila Abdullah, Zhob, and others, the business of forgery under the guise of ancient artifacts is thriving. Many fraudsters manufacture items that resemble antiquities, falsely claiming them to be ancient and historical. These counterfeit objects, including coins, idols of deities, toys, weapons, utensils, stones, and everyday tools, are passed off as being from thousands of years before Christ, allowing sellers to earn illegitimate profits.
A person associated with this trade for the past 35 years revealed that forgery has now become so widespread in the market that it’s extremely difficult to distinguish genuine artifacts from fake ones.
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Only experts can accurately identify the authenticity of such items. He added that the reputation of the trade has been so severely damaged by these fraudulent practices that even genuine dealers now face significant challenges. He called for strict action to be taken against those involved in counterfeiting.
