The scholar from Government College University Lahore argues that restitution is not merely about returning artifacts; it is emotional reckoning with histories of loss, displacement, and justice.
By archival research, he examines the Koh-I-Noor diamond, seized from Lahore in 1849 by the British, and the Mohenjo-Daro “Dancing Girl,” excavated in present-day Pakistan but retained by India.
These artifacts are not just historical objects but symbols of identity and collective memory, their absence deepening grief in communities and highlighting the past injustice.
The study challenges the dominant restitution discourse that frames repatriation as a struggle between Western institutions and former colonies. Instead, it highlights intra-regional cultural dispossession, where post-colonial states, while demanding justice from Western museums, have withheld artifacts.
By addressing these overlooked dimensions, this paper stresses a restitution framework that moves beyond Western institutions’ legal formalities and token gestures.
Recognizing the emotional weight of these contested histories is critical for fostering reconciliation, acknowledging historical wounds, and ensuring that displaced heritage is restored to the communities from which it was taken.
