Centre blamed for incomplete Ghazni projects

GHAZNI CITY (PAN on Tuesday said if the central government had released funds in time, all projects would have been completed ahead of the 2013 Islamic Civilisation Festival in southern Ghazni province.

The long-awaited ceremony declaring Ghazni City as the Asian Capital of Islamic Culture and Civilisation was held in April, though many projects could not be completed ahead of the week-long celebrations, which came nearly five years after the city’s selection.

The delegation, comprising Urban Development Minister Hussain Abdulhai, Presidential Advisor Yusuf Pashtun and Deputy Information Minister Musaddiq Khalili, held talks with local officials.

Abdulhai believed all projects would have been executed if funds had reached Ghazni in time, regretting even the Islamic Centre could not be completed. He said 80 percent of the projects implemented so far would be inaugurated soon.

The minister said schemes for the 2013 celebrations should have been initiated years ago, accusing the central government of committing negligence in this regard. He said the central government had released $17 million, which had been spent on the projects.

Pashtun said if foreign countries had honoured their pledges, much of the projects in Ghazni City would have been completed.

“Iran and Pakistan have promised millions of dollars in aid to us, but both countries did nothing in real,” he said.

The presidential advisor said when Ghazni City was declared the Asian Capital of Islamic Civilisation, many countries vowed to support reconstruction projects, but later there had been no positive response.

For his part, Khalili said so far 36 historic sites had been repaired and work on the rest was ongoing. He said all projects relating to the Information and Culture Ministry had been completed.

Governor Musa Khan Akbarzada also said the Islamic Centre could not be completed due to a shortage of funds.

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