Cultural Activists Warn: Khwaja Ali Jowzjani Shrine Nearing Collapse
A number of cultural figures in Sar-e-Pul say that the shrine of Khwaja Ali Jowzjani, a prominent mystic located in the old bazaar of this province, is on the brink of destruction.
According to them, if attention is not given to the cultural heritage of this province, these historical sites will be completely lost.
Cultural activists are calling on the Islamic Emirate and UNESCO to restore Sar-e-Pul’s historical monuments.
Sayed Hesamuddin Bashardost, a cultural activist in Sar-e-Pul, stated: “Historical monuments and buildings are a nation’s identity, and comprehensive efforts must be made to restore and preserve them. One such historical monument, the shrine of Khwaja Ali Jowzjani in the old bazaar, is on the verge of collapse.”
Mohammad Hossein Baloch, another cultural activist in Sar-e-Pul, said: “Our demand from the Islamic Emirate is that historical monuments must be preserved, and no efforts should be made to destroy them.”
However, the Sar-e-Pul Directorate of Information and Culture assures that historical monuments in the province will be restored.
Abdul Ghaffar Haqnama, the head of the Sar-e-Pul Directorate of Information and Culture, said: “The ministry has sent us an official document for the restoration of three historical monuments, including the Jowzjani shrine, the Imam Jafar shrine, and the Khesht Bridge. These three sites have been prioritized and are awaiting budget approval.”
According to local officials in Sar-e-Pul, more than 200 historical monuments have been registered in the province, but only 44 of them have been officially recorded by the Ministry of Information and Culture.
