KUNDUZ (SW): According to the provincial directorate of Information and Culture in Kunduz province, 13 out of 19 heritage sites in the province are faced with ultimate destruction.
Naimatullah Safi, director for cultural affairs in the province has noted that some of the heritage sites like the Kunduz Fortress, Mehr Nigar Hill, Zoben Hill and Murch Hill have now been turned into military bases. Safi added that Chehel Dukhtar Hill and Kula Minarha Hill are among historic sites on the verge of collapse, and many parts of these hills are grabbed by influential men.
The local civil society is blaming the directorate of information and culture for not taking proper care of these heritage sites in the province. The director for cultural affairs in the province however, underlined the lack of dedicated budget for the purpose combined with the Taliban’s control over some of these sites has caused the troubles.
Qaseem Jungle Bagh, the police chief in Kunduz, said in this regard that security such sites is the responsibility of the ‘012 Unit’, which has not been formed in the province so far.
It is worth noticing that few days back, officials at the directorate of information and culture in Kandahar province raised similar concerns over the deteriorating state of heritage sites there.
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