Restoration of the Sacred Shrine in Mazar-e-Sharif Begins at Cost of 40 Million Afghanis
Major restoration work on the Sacred Shrine in the city of Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province, has begun at a cost of 40 million Afghanis. The project is starting after recent earthquakes damaged parts of this historic and religious site.
Mawlawi Mohammadullah Zarar, head of Information and Culture in Balkh province, said the project is being implemented on the orders of Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban acting interior minister, under the supervision of Balkh governor Mohammad Yousuf Wafa, and with financial support from Barakatzi Group chairman Mubariz Barakatzi.
According to Zarar, the Taliban administration has paid attention to historical, cultural and religious sites in different parts of the country since returning to power, and has made the protection and restoration of historical monuments a priority. He also said restoration work on the mausoleum of Mawlana Jalaluddin Mohammad Balkhi and the Khwaja Parsa Mosque is continuing in Balkh province.
Mawlawi Mohammad Abid, a representative of Barakatzi Group, said the restoration of the Sacred Shrine will be carried out to standard and in a fundamental way. Noorulhadi Abu Idris, deputy governor of Balkh, also described the site as one of Balkh’s important historical, cultural and religious centres.
The Sacred Shrine is considered one of the best-known historical and religious sites in Mazar-e-Sharif and hosts a large number of pilgrims and visitors every year. Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province, is located in northern Afghanistan.
