Initial work has begun on the preservation and restoration of the grave of Mohammad Hotak, the author of the renowned Pashto literary work Pata Khazana, in Afghanistan’s Zabul Province.
The Taliban’s Directorate of Information and Culture in Zabul said the project is being implemented through the efforts of the directorate, with financial support from Afghan writer Mohammad Masoom Hotak.
Abdul Wali Basharmal, the directorate’s Head of Tourism and Information, stated that the restoration work is expected to be completed within one month.
According to the directorate, the project includes the construction of a perimeter wall around Mohammad Hotak’s grave as well as the building of a mosque.
Basharmal added that the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture has also pledged to undertake a comprehensive restoration of the site, expressing hope that the historic location will undergo a full-scale rehabilitation in the future.
A number of Zabul residents have welcomed the initiative, saying that the restoration of the grave of this prominent figure in Pashto language and literature has long been overdue.
Mohammad Hotak, a native of the Kokaran area of Kandahar Province, is regarded as one of the pioneering writers of the Pashto language. He is buried in Mamu village of Siori District, Zabul Province.
Pata Khazana is considered one of the most significant historical works of Pashto literature and holds a special place in the history of the Pashto language, literature, and cultural heritage. The work contains biographical accounts and literary compositions of numerous early Pashtun poets.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
