Sunday, January 10, 2016
Kabul (BNA) Afghanistan possesses wide number of historical monuments, the protection of which is duty of any countrymen, said director of historical monuments for the Ministry of Information and Culture, Abdul Ahad Abbasi.
Abasi said some three thousand historical monuments were available in the country, where only 234 of them had so far been repaired, with the remaining either under reconstruction or the related projects due completion.
In eastern Laghman’s provincial capital, the Ministry of Information and Culture is making efforts to complete the project on reconstruction of the Mehtarlam Baba shrine along with all its inner historical sites including swimming pool and other prototypical parts to help tourists easily visit the areas.
In Kabul, the construction work of the National Gallery is also expected to be completed with the Ministry of Information and Culture expected to use the development budget to spend for the project, said Abbasi adding however the project was completed by 50 percent.
He said, in western Kandahar province, the construction work on Ahmad Shahbaba is nearly completed.
He said his department’s next year’s plan, if it won enough budget, would construct a minaret (Ghashi Minaret) across the area laid along the road between Zabul and Kandahar provinces, as well as some other monuments like the building of Serajul Imarat to use it as a museum for the east zone, in eastern Nangarhar province, part of the Ministry’s upcoming plan.
All surveys to fully identify which historical monuments in which areas of the country needed to be reconstructed, was not still clear, but the ministry is due to complete to the survey and do its best for practical measure.
The head of the Ministry’s historical monuments enumerated insecurity and lack of budget among what he called the still available challenges hindered his led organ to step up in reconstruction of the remaining monuments.
Abbasi believe protection of the country’s historical monuments was not only the responsibly of the related organs, but the entire citizens have to resort in their protection, as they are part of the national capital.
Some Kabul citizens in their interview with The Kabul Times said the historical monuments should be protected by the people also and not to be abandoned only to the shoulder of the related organs or the security entities.
Those destroying the historical monuments should be trailed and brought to justice by the government, said Murtaza Shirzad, a Kabul citizen.
Karima Malikzada
