Historical Herat mosque being renovated
17 November, 2012
HERAT: A historical mosque in western Herat province — the fourth biggest mosque of the world, will be renovated with donations from Afghan traders, an official said on Friday A number of traders have promised funds for the renovation of the main mosque in the provincial capital, deputy chief of the Herat Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Toryalai Ghausi, told Pajhwok Afghan News. "The Herat mosque is a historical place whose preservation is a collective responsibility of all residents; now businessmen intend to renovate it," said the deputy chief of the renovation committee, Wali Shah Bahra, a former information director. He said traders and industrialists were included in the body. However, he stopped short of naming the committee members. The donations, duly registered by the committee, are sent to a bank account and spent transparently. The Herat Industrialists Union deputy head, Farid Ahmed Maulvizada, said around three hundred industrialists were willing to fund the renovation work. Haibatullah, prayer leader and preacher, said the mosque needed a new roof and glasswork in the first step of renovation. Deputy Governor Asiluddin acknowledged much of the mosque had crumbled and needed reconstruction. He regretted the authorities in Kabul had ignored a string of requests from him for rebuilding it. End.
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