GHAZNI CITY (Pajhwok): Recent rainfalls have partially damaged Balahisar and some other historic sites in southern Ghazni province, an official said on Monday.
On the other hand, residents have complained that cracking Balashisar walls put their homes in danger.
Ustad Saqib Afghan, a resident of Balahisar locality, said recent rainfalls damaged the foundations of historic Balahisar’s walls and there was the possibility of its collapse.
He said: “This is our history and identity, those who know us know us from these historical and ancient regions; Because they know who lived in these historical areas and what they did. If they disappear, we are nothing and we will have lost everything.”
Ali Mansour, another resident of Ghazni City, said recent rains damaged most parts of the Ghazni Balahisar and some parts are about to collapse.
He said: “The residents of houses close to Balahisar were worried because the walls of Balahisar could collapse on their homes.”
Local officials also acknowledged that recent rainfall damaged parts of Balahisar.
Mullah Hamdullah Nisar, head of the Information and Cultural Affairs Department, said recent rains damaged some historic sites, including the Ghazni Balahisar.
He said the issue had been shared with officials in the centre as well as with some organisations, including UNESCO.
He said a large amount of reconstruction assistance arrived in 2013 when Ghazni City was dubbed as the cultural capital of the Islamic world but previous officials did not spent the assistance on the reconstruction of historic sites.
According to archaeologist the Ghazni Balahisar has 2,500 years history and hundreds of tourist visits the historic site each month.
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