Dost Mohammad Khan school building to be preserved: MoIC

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Information and Culture (MoIC) has called for preservation of the historic building of Amir Dost Mohammad Khan School in Kabul during an ongoing road construction project.
At the same time, the relevant committee of the Kabul Municipality assured that efforts would be made to protect historical monuments.

This comes after several individuals recently shared concerns on social media, claiming that the school’s historic building, located in the Nawabad area of Kabul, was under threat from urban development and road expansion plans.

They called on the Kabul Municipality and MoIC to safeguard the structure and ensure it was not demolished as part of the road widening project.

A user named Faiz wrote on his X account: “A clear demand of the majority of Kabul residents! We, the people of Kabul, urge the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to protect our cultural heritage and prevent the demolition of Amir Dost Mohammad Khan School. It was the first building of Kabul Municipality, and alternative solutions must be found.”

Likewise, another individual named Hamza posted on Facebook: “To the attention of the Ministry of Information and Culture and Kabul Municipality! Amir Dost Mohammad Khan School is registered as a historical monument. From a historical standpoint, it was the residence of Amir Dost Mohammad Khan. It is now affected by a road expansion project. We hope its historical significance will be recognised and measures taken for its preservation.”

However, in a statement issued today, MoIC said a delegation comprising Deputy Minister Maulvi Atiqullah Azizi, Director of Cultural Affairs at Kabul Municipality, Qari Waligul Jawad, Director of Historical Monuments at MoIC, Director of Ancient Cities at the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing, representatives from the National Environmental Protection Agency and the Aga Khan Foundation visited the historic school building in Kabul’s 3rd municipal district.

The statement noted: “Given that both main and secondary roads pass by the school building, the delegation also met with the designated technical committee of Kabul Municipality. They urged local engineers to pay special attention to the school’s historic structure, which is estimated to be nearly 140 years old, and to protect it from any potential threats or damage.”

The ministry added that members of Kabul Municipality’s technical and professional committee assured the delegation that efforts would be made to prevent the destruction of historical monuments situated along the roadways.
They also pledged to submit their latest findings and research to the Mayor of Kabul regarding the preservation of the Amir Dost Mohammad Khan School’s historic building.

kk/ma