Tiktoker Arrested by Swat Police
On Saturday, a TikToker posted a Tiktok video on his Facebook page showing him throwing stones at the Buddha. It sparked anger among cultural activists and civil society members in Swat and demanded his arrest. The activists further demanded the arrest of the guard and said that why did he not perform his duty. As a result of all this, the Swat police arrested the accused TikToker who was identified as Abubakar, a resident of Sangota village. Sangota police station SHO Hayat Khan stated that: SHO said the guard had been released. The defacement of the Buddha sparked worldwide anger and concern among the Buddhist community, historians, and archaeologists. This statue is of great importance for all of them. The iconic Buddha, seated in a meditative posture is considered one of the biggest rock sculptures in South Asia. It got also attacked in Sept 2007 by the Taliban, who had blown up half the statue’s face. However, the good part is that the Italian archeological mission in Pakistan restored its face through a scientific restoration process conducted by famous archaeologists and experts. Since then, the rock-carved Buddha has been the center of attraction for tourists, historians, and heritage lovers from across the globe. Also Read: Pakistan Aims To Build A Resilient, Sustainable & Digital Future For All (phoneworld.com.pk)
