The Swat police arrested a boy for throwing stones at the 7th-century Jahanabad Buddha in the Manglawar area of Swat on weekend.
The boy was caught because of the videos he uploaded on the popular social media app, TikTok.
The viral video received heavy backlash from cultural activists and locals as they called for the culprit’s arrest as well as that of the security guard who was absent at the time of the incident.
The arrested has been identified as Abubakar and he belongs to the Sangota village.
The Station House Officer (SHO) of the Sangota police station, Hayat Khan, revealed that a First Information Report (FIR) was registered against both Abubakar and the security guard, and both had been arrested. Abubakar has been transferred to jail following a court trial, while the security guard has been released.
The renowned Buddha, seated in a contemplative pose and regarded among South Asia’s largest rock statues, was also targeted by the Taliban in September 2007, who blew up part of the statue’s face.
The vandalism of the Buddha elicited widespread outrage and concern among Buddhists, historians, and archaeologists. The Italian archaeological expedition in Pakistan reconstructed its face using a scientific restoration procedure overseen by recognized archaeologists and specialists.
Ever since, the rock-carved Buddha has drawn visitors, historians, and heritage enthusiasts from all over the world.