Renovation commences at Kabul's palatial structure, battered by war.
In the heart of Kabul, the Darul Aman Palace, a symbol of the city's rich history, is set to undergo a significant transformation. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani launched the restoration work on May 30, marking the beginning of a journey to restore the palace's former glory.
The palace, built in the 1920s and located at the edge of the city, has been in ruins for decades, serving as a sombre reminder of the conflict that has plagued Afghanistan for much of its recent history. The damage to the palace was caused during the carnage of the early 1990s, when rival mujahideen groups were fighting for power following the fall of a Soviet-backed regime.
The restoration project, which is estimated to cost around $20 million, is funded primarily through Afghan government funds and international support. Ghani, during the inauguration of the restoration work, said, "Today we are returning to our past... to set the foundation for our future."
However, not everyone is in favour of the restoration. Some residents, like Daud Hotak, believe the restoration is a waste of money. With thousands of people fleeing the country and the economy in free fall, Hotak argues that the money could be used to create jobs. He also highlights the deteriorating security situation, stating that the funds could be better utilised to address these pressing issues.
Omaid Sharifi, a civil society activist, shares similar sentiments. He suggests that the palace should be left in its current state to remind future generations of the brutality of war. Sharifi believes that preserving the palace as it is would serve as a powerful reminder of the cost of conflict and the need for peace.
Despite the opposition, the restoration project is seen as a symbol of national pride. The palace was used as the venue for Ghani's cabinet meeting on May 30, the first such meeting in nearly a century. The lion-headed buttresses are broken, colonnades pockmarked by bullets, and the metal sheets of its roof are crumpled, but the hope is that, with the restoration, the palace will once again stand as a beacon of Afghan history and culture.
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