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MAIMANA (SW): According to officials from the Faryab’s directorate of information and culture (DoIC), the province’s antiquities are in danger of being destroyed.
The officials have said natural factors and increasing insecurity have damaged most ancient works of the province, and some of these works are in danger of being annihilated. “The monuments in the province are more than 2 centuries old which are mostly either smuggled or destroyed by local warlords”, informed the officials.
Shah Reza Munshizada, the head of tourism, information and culture of Faryab, told Salam Watandar that there are more than 160 ancient artifacts in this province, the most famous of which are Justice Dome, Aqinah Pool in Andkhoy district and the Clay School in the city of Maimana, in the center of the province. According to him, Houz Aghinah (Pool) was created in the 15th century by the Shaybanids.
The head of provincial tourism, information and culture directorate blaming the government for not reconstruction the monuments said despite the fact that several official letters are dispatched to the Ministry of Culture and Information there are no actions taken by the Ministry yet.
The lack of museums for preserving and displaying antiquities is among the concerns of the information and culture directorate of Faryab, and they informed that most of the archaeological remains of the province are kept in banks.
On the other hand, Sayed Zainaddin Abedi, the head of Faryab civil society, said that the country's ancient artifacts, in addition to economic income, also represent the cultural and historical identity of the citizens of that country, and the artifacts should not be destroyed.
But, Abdul Karim Yurish, the spokesman for the provincial police, believes that the presence of Taliban in most of the province is the real cause behind the destruction ancient monuments. He rejected the destruction and smuggling of ancient artifacts by warlords and added that the warlords are helping the information and culture directorate in providing security to the historical sites.
The spokesman for the provincial police also reported about arrests of dozens of artifact smugglers in the province in the past few years.
The provincial information and culture officials also said that a number of foreign tourists, including French, German, American and British tourists, visited Faryab to visit archaeological sites, but now the presence of tourists has diminished due to insecurity.
ENDS
