Wolesi Jirga worried about Bakhtaria Gold Treasure safety

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Wolesi Jirga speaker on Wednesday said Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB) or central bank was not trustworthy and the Bakhtaria Gold Treasure — one of the five largest international historical marvels — should be moved to a secure place for its safety.

The Ministry of Information and Culture (MoIC) in March 2020 had said that 231 different artifacts of Bakhtar Gold Treasure were returned to the country after 13 years of display in various countries.

According to National Museum of Afghanistan, the treasure contains 21,618 artifacts, most of them made of gold.

Nilfar Ibrahimi, a lawmaker from Badakhshan province, told today’s session of the lower house that the government was no longer trustable as a few months back, security cameras of DAB had been turned off for several hours.

Bakhtaria Gold Treasure, which was a monetary bankroll of the country, should be shifted to a credible country in the world because the Parliament and people were worried for defalcation in it, she said.

Zalmai Mujadadi, another lawmaker, about DAB’s Tuesday report, said that low revenue collection of the bank has worried the public.

A day earlier, DAB announced that the revenue of the bank has declined by 29 billion afghanis (more than 96 percent) in 1399 solar year due to the outbreak of coronavirus.

Mujadadi asked for assessment of foreign exchange reserves and said that the national reserves in DAB had been embezzled.

A number of other lawmakers also asked for evaluation of reserves at the central bank and shifting of Bakhtaria Treasure to another secure country for safety.

Mir Rahman Rahmani, Wolesi Jirga speaker, about Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR)’s report about money transfers via Kabul Airport abroad, said, “If this situation continues, then Bakhtaria Gold Treasure would be also unsafe.”

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, head of Hezb-i-Islami Afghanistan (HIA), had earlier said that unknown airplanes transferred unidentified materials, most probably gold and US dollars from Kabul Airport abroad. However, Afghanistan Civil Aviation Authority had rejected his allegation.

Rahmani asked the government for explanation about the transfer of money from the country outside.

“Bakhtaria Gold Treasure should be moved to a secure country for safekeeping because DAB is distrustful,” he said.

Fahim Rahimi, head of National Museum of Afghanistan, said that he could not determine the location of the treasure due to security reasons but it was kept in a secure place.

Mds/ma

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