KABUL (BNA): The Deputy Minister of Information and Culture says Saturday that based on the Prime Minister of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan decree all respective government departments are obliged to protect and preserve the historical sites and relics from any hams across the country.
The Deputy Minister for Culture and Arts Mawlawi Atiqullah Azizi says that Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhand, the Prime Minister of IEA, has recently issued a decree on the protection and preservation of antiquities and monuments, obliging all government departments to protect antiquities, adding that during four decades of war and insecurity in Afghanistan, many of Afghanistan’s historical monuments and heritage have been damaged and many archeological sites have been usurped.
He said that now security and peace are stabilized in the country, and now it’s time to restore and protect historical sites.
Azizi says that based on the Prime Minister’s decree, relevant government organs are obliged to prevent illegal excavations in archeological sites and to carry out any activities in archeological sites in coordination with the Ministry of Information and Culture.
In the meantime, the Deputy Ministry of Culture called on international organizations who carry out activities on historical heritages to resume their missions in Afghanistan.
During an interview with Bakhtar News Agency Azizi said that they have requested the world organization UNESCO to include the recreational park “Bagh Babur” in the world-historical heritage list.
The recreational park “Bagh Babur” has been decorated with modern era criteria supported financially by the Agha Khan Foundation, which meets all the treaties to be included in the world’s ancient historical UNESCO list, he added.
According to him, besides asking to include “Bagh Babur” the Ministry of Information and culture demands UNESCO pay attention supporting to protect the Minaret of Jam one of the second most ancient historical relics in the world.
In regard to the relics discovered in Mes Aynak (copper mine), he said that relics have more value than any financial benefits recovering from copper in this mine, the Ministry of Information and Culture monitoring the excavation process of relics, and will prevent any harm to antiquities. according to him.
Azizi said that the Ministry of Information and culture has a complete plan to excavate carefully the relics from the deep and amid the excavation of coppers.
Adding that after the plan is approved by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan officials, the companies that have won the mining contract will be obliged to streamline their activities in accordance with the plan and not damage antiquities and historical sites.
In regard to the trafficking of relics abroad says that the Ministry is in touch with related government bodies specifically with the Ministry of Interior to curb the smuggling of ancient antiquities outside.
Lately, some concerns have been raised about the destruction of antiquities, illegal excavations, and the trafficking of Afghan historical heritage outside. But the Ministry of Information and Culture assures that the Ministry closely monitoring form the heritage of the country to curb any illegal action against it.
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