The country’s Ministry of Information and Culture has reopened what is believed to be the first mosque built by Muslims in Ghazni, following extensive restoration work.
The Babaji Mosque, located in the old city of Ghazni, was inaugurated on Sunday by Atiqullah Azizi, deputy minister for art and culture. Azizi said the mosque was originally constructed during the caliphate of Uthman ibn Affan, the third caliph of Islam, and was built as a two-story structure.
He noted that the building had faced the risk of collapse but was restored with the support of the Aga Khan Cultural Foundation, which preserved its historical and architectural features. The work, carried out over 14 months, cost $150,000, fully funded by the foundation.
Fazl Karim Ahmadi, an engineer with the Aga Khan Foundation, said the project focused on strengthening the structure and rebuilding the mosque.
Ghazni’s provincial director of information and culture, Hameedullah Nisar, thanked the foundation for its role and urged continued cooperation on the restoration of other historical monuments. He added that 32 heritage sites in the province had been poorly rebuilt under the former government in 2013, wasting public funds.
Bakhtar
