In 2013, Ghazni will be feted as the City of Islamic Culture for the Asian region. But is the fabled capital of the medieval Ghaznavid dynasty ready?
In 2013, Ghazni will be feted as the City of Islamic Culture for the Asian region. But is the fabled capital of the medieval Ghaznavid dynasty ready?The ISESCO (Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) nominated Ghazni for the title four years ago, giving it time to showcase its cultural significance through tourism, events and exhibitions, both to its local inhabitants and to a wider audience. There are ambitious plans on paper, and depending on whom you talk to claims that lot of work or no work on the ground. Everyone’s favourite ‘blame-game’ is in full swing.
Governor Musa Khan Akbarzada blames the central government for the delays. “If by April 5 the money is released to Ghazni I hope all contracts will be awarded.”
In January, news of the cash crunch hit the headlines. Governor Musa Khan opened a bank account for the reconstruction work in the name of Kashkol-e-Bahlol (from a well known folk tale about a storyteller who wore a bag in which listeners put coins), in order to encourage locals and traders in Ghazni to support the reconstruction work.
Blame game
The Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Information and Culture are trading charges. Aziz Shams, the spokesman in the Ministry of Finance, said the provincial culture and information department spent only 7 percent of the allocated 725 million (roughly 15 million USD) of its budget in 2011 (a figure that was confirmed by Governor Akbarzada). However, the Ministry of Information and Culture has refuted the charge. Sayed Musadiq Khalili, the cultural deputy in the Ministry of Information and Culture, said 53 percent of the budget has been spent. Khalili said work was progressing as planned. “We have restored 10 historical monuments that required massive work. Work at seven other smaller sites is continuing,” he said.
Hamidullah Sarwari, head of the Ghazni information and culture department says 300 monuments are in need of repairs. Restoration work on the well-known Qala-e-Ghaznain was supported by Aachen University in Germany. “Here German engineers as well as Afghan engineers employed by information and culture department of Ghazni are working together,” said Sarwari.
According to him, the pace of work has been hampered by settlements that have encroached on historical sites “People have constructed houses and sometimes access has also been blocked,” he said.
Money crunch
Both provincial and central officials are united in blaming the Ministry of Finance for delays in providing money for projects. Engineer Marzia Omar, assistant director in the directorate of protection and restoration of historical sites/cities, said construction companies have been contracted to start restoration work, but the Ministry of Finance has not released money.
Marzia Omar says, “The president has allocated 10 million USD but we have not got it.” The Hamid Karzai government has allocated 10 million USD for the repair and rebuilding of sites including the mausoleums of Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi, Sultan Ibrahim and Bahram Shah, and Baba Ali Kotwal and Baba Jee mosques in the Old City.
A commission created by Karzai and supervised by the Vice President, Marshal Mohammad Qasim Fahim was transferred to Ghazni province by a decision of the council of ministers.
The money has been earmarked for the construction of an Islamic Traditions Centre, a terminal, an enclosed market for women and the reconstruction of the tomb of Abu Raihan Al-Biruni, considered one of the greatest scholars of the medieval Islamic period.
The Ministry of Finance has been pointing fingers at Parliament. Members of Parliament delayed the passing of the government’s budget last year, officials said As a result money for reconstruction work could not be released on time.
Quick fix or well-laid plans
Will the city be ready by 2013?
Abdul Wali Akhunzada, member of the provincial council, has expressed doubts. He blamed the governor’s office for the delays. The Karzai-appointed commission, which was meant to oversee the work, has done nothing, he said. “Only 12 sites have been restored, the rest are half complete. The plans have not been implemented,” he added.
Enayatull Mayar of Ghazni University, a lecturer and cultural expert, cited the example of the Qala-e-Ghaznain to assert that the authorities were indifferent to the preservation of monuments. “Everyone was yelling that the towers of the fort were falling but no one paid attention,” he said. Instead of completing the work in the dry weather, project authorities had pushed it through in the wet, winter months. “Unfortunately the budget is released at the middle of the year, this is a big problem, and attention should be paid to this issue.”
Dr. Faheem, ISESCO and UNESCO representative and member of the Ghazni commission, confirmed that delays were because money was not released on time. He said the process of funds authorization is long-winded and time consuming. But he was optimistic. “We hope by the end of 2012 many works will be completed.”
