Ghazni prepares to host Islamic culture centre

GHAZNI CITY (PAN): The final phase of preparations for building the Centre for Islamic Culture in Ghazni City would be launched in March, Governor Musa Khan Akbarzada said on Sunday.

Ghazni City was selected to serve as the Asian capital of the Islamic civilisation for 2013 by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation at a conference held in Tripoli, Libya, in 2007.

“The first phase of preparations has been completed and the second and last phase will begin in late March,” Akbarzada told Pajhwok Afghan News. Mega projects for 2013 include the construction of the proposed centre and a 30-kilomentre road.

Akbarzada said the centre would have a mosque facility, a covered bazaar, a gymnasium, a restaurant, a hotel and other facilities. Construction work on an airport would also begin next year, he added.

The projects would be implemented at a total cost of $20million, with half of funds being given by the Afghan government and the rest by donors, he explained.

To host the centre for Islamic Culture, a preparatory commission was established in 2007. Officials from ministries of finance, information and cultural affairs, rehabilitation and rural development, water and energy, urban development affairs and women affairs are members of the commission.

Later, the Cabinet decided to include provincial department officials in the commission, led by the Ghazni governor. Information and Culture Department Director Hamidullah Sarwari said the commission had helped accelerate the process. 

Ghazni City Mayor Syed Abdul Basir Noori called the Cabinet decision as beneficial, hoping that it would the authorities them make the event a roaring success.

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