Ghazni’s historic Babaji Mosque repair work completed

GHAZNI CITY (Pajhwok): Reconstruction and reinforcement work of the historic Babaji Mosque has been completed at a cost of 150,000 US dollars in southern Ghazni province.

Deputy Minister of Information and Culture Maulvi Atiqullah Azizi told the inauguration ceremony that the Babaji Mosque was built during the caliphate of Hazrat Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), the third Caliph, after the advent of Islam in Afghanistan.

According to him, the mosque dates back to about 1,400 years and is considered the first mosque built for Muslims in the province.

He added over the years the historic mosque had been damaged by natural disasters.

Azizi said that upon learning of the mosque’s deteriorating state, the ministry, in cooperation with the Aga Khan Trust, gave urgent attention to its restoration and took swift measures for its preservation.

Eng. Fazl Karim Ahmadi, head of the Aga Khan Cultural Foundation in Ghazni, said the restoration and reinforcement work of the historic Babaji Mosque had been carried out by their organisation over a period of about 14 months, and today it was officially handed over to the Ghazni Department of Information and Culture.

He added that 150,000 US dollars were spent on the reconstruction of the two-storey mosque.

Abdul Wahid, a local elder, told Pajhwok that the mosque was under threat of collapse, but thanks to the special attention of the government and the Aga Khan Cultural Foundation, it has been rebuilt.

He urged the government and other cultural institutions to pay attention to the protection of Ghazni’s historic monuments to save them from destruction.

Ghazni is one of the country’s ancient and historic provinces, rich in cultural heritage. Some of its monuments were restored in 2013, when Ghazni was named the Capital of Islamic Civilisation, while many others are still in need of serious restoration.

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