Several residents of Ghazni province have expressed concern over the Taliban’s neglect of the province’s historical sites. They say this neglect has allowed recent rains to damage several of the province’s historical monuments, placing some of them at serious risk of collapse. They add that the rainfall has caused the most damage to the Old City of Ghazni, Bala Hissar Fortress, the Arbaba Shrine, and a number of other shrines. According to them, these sites were already in poor condition before the rains, and the recent rainfall has accelerated their deterioration.
Speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, these residents stressed that had protective measures been taken before the rains, these historical sites would never have suffered such damage. They added that they have repeatedly called on cultural institutions and the Taliban to pay serious attention to these monuments, but their requests have so far yielded no results. Residents of Ghazni stated that these historical sites are part of the cultural and historical identity of the province, and that their loss would be an irreparable blow. They are urging the responsible authorities to take immediate and effective action to prevent further deterioration of these sites.
Shayesta, one of the residents of Ghazni, says that every year, with the onset of rain and snow, parts of the province’s historical sites are damaged, but the Taliban, according to her, pay no attention to this. She adds that these sites are part of the historical identity of the city of Ghazni and must not be allowed to disappear.
This Ghazni resident says: “Historical sites are part of our culture and identity and must not be destroyed. If these places are lost, our history will be lost with them. Bala Hissar Fortress has been facing serious erosion for years; its walls and towers have been severely damaged, and parts of them have already collapsed. Sometimes only minor repair work is carried out, on which money is wasted, whereas if it were fundamentally restored, such damage would no longer occur.”
This Ghazni resident also expressed concern about the condition of residential homes located inside the historic Ghazni fortress. She added that if the fortress and the homes within it continue to be neglected, there is a real risk of harm coming to the residents of the area.
Shayesta continued: “Inside the fortress, there are also residential homes that are in poor condition, and most of them are dilapidated and on the verge of collapse. These homes have been neglected for a long time, and restrictions on reconstruction have prevented their condition from improving, a situation that has itself contributed to further deterioration of Bala Hissar.”
Sayed Shakir, another resident of Ghazni, says the province is renowned for its historical monuments and that these sites must be seriously protected. He adds that if these monuments are not preserved, even larger portions of them will be destroyed. According to him, neglect of this historical heritage could cause irreparable damage to the cultural identity of Ghazni.
Shakir says: “If these historical sites are not protected, nothing of this heritage will remain in the future. These places represent an immense value that has, unfortunately, been subject to tremendous neglect. These sites are like flowers and are damaged with every rainfall, yet they could also be a source of revenue, and if the necessary facilities were built around them, more tourists would be attracted. These sites do not deserve such neglect.” He also adds that the tomb of Sheikh Attar, the tomb of Hakim Sanai, the tomb of Abu Rayhan Biruni, Ali Lala Sahib, the mosque, and the Old City are all in very poor condition.
Mujeeb Khoshazad, another resident of Ghazni, says the historical and cultural monuments in the province are in a state of ruin, and no institution is paying the necessary attention to preserving these sites. He adds that if this neglect continues, people will witness the complete collapse of portions of Ghazni’s historical and cultural monuments in the future, monuments that, in his words, belong to the people and to the history of the country.
Khoshazad stressed: “If the neglect of historical monuments continues, nothing of this heritage will remain in the future. I call on international organizations and the Taliban to pay serious attention to the historical monuments of Ghazni and to protect these sites, which represent a national asset of the country.”
Meanwhile, several cultural experts consider cultural heritage to be an irreplaceable asset for the country, one that could serve as a significant source of revenue for Afghanistan by attracting tourists.
They are calling on the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), both of which are active in the field of cultural heritage protection, to pay serious attention to the historical monuments of Ghazni and to restore those sites that need repair and rehabilitation.
Kitabkhan Faizi, one of the cultural experts, says: “Among the historical sites in Afghanistan, some are included on UNESCO’s registered list, such as Bamiyan and the Minaret of Jam, while others are on the candidate list. The historical monuments of Ghazni belong to the Ghaznavid period, and these sites, by attracting global attention, could draw large numbers of tourists. A tourism economy could make an effective contribution to the people of Afghanistan and to the preservation of the country’s cultural heritage. In addition, there are pre-Islamic historical sites in Ghazni as well, such as Tepe Sardar, Dasht-e Nawar, and the caves of Jaghori, all of which also have the potential to attract tourists.”
Mr. Faizi adds: “Our request to ICOMOS and UNESCO is to take action in support of the protection of Afghanistan’s cultural heritage, to restore sites that need repair, and to safeguard monuments that are in the process of being destroyed, so that Afghanistan may attract more tourists through this means.”
Ghazni is one of the ancient provinces of Afghanistan and contains a large number of historical sites and monuments, approximately 100 of which have been officially registered with the Ministry of Information and Culture.
Ghazni was designated as the Capital of Islamic Civilization in 2013, and many of its historical areas had been restored, but due to poor-quality reconstruction, many of them have since deteriorated once again.
According to information from residents of the province, Ghazni Fortress, the historic towers, the palace of Mohammad Sharif Khan, the mosque of Qalat-e Ghazni, Bibi’s Dome, and the shrine of Mullah Mushk-Alam are among the historical monuments in need of restoration.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
بیتوجهی به میراث باستانی؛ بناهای تاریخی غزنی در آستانه فروپاشی
