Head of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) Office for Balkh Meets with the Minister of Information and Culture
On Wednesday (12 Jumada al-Thani 1447 AH), Mr. Mikail Taş, the Head of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) Office for Balkh, met with Sheikh Shir Ahmad Haqqani, the Minister of Information and Culture.
During the meeting, Mr. Taş provided an overview of TİKA's activities and projects. He mentioned that TİKA has offices in three provinces—Kabul, Herat, and Mazar-e-Sharif—with the Balkh office responsible for managing affairs across nine northern provinces. To date, the agency has implemented nearly 700 projects, amounting to $100 million, in these northern provinces, while across Afghanistan, more than 2,000 projects have been completed.
Mr. Taş also discussed the recent completion and inauguration of the reconstruction of the courtyard of the mausoleum of Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi, a historical figure highly respected by the peoples of both Turkey and Afghanistan. Furthermore, he provided details about the ongoing restoration of the khanqah of Baha’uddin Walad—the father of Mawlana Jalaluddin Balkhi—in the Balkh district considered highly valuable and essential. Mr. Taş assured that the khanqah will be completed and handed over for public use in the near future.
Minister Sheikh Shir Ahmad Haqqani warmly welcomed Mr. Taş and applauded TİKA’s efforts to preserve the nation’s cultural heritage and restore historical monuments. He pledged the Ministry of Information and Culture's full support for the successful completion and implementation of these important projects.
It is important to note that the khanqah of Baha’uddin Walad is situated on approximately 31 jiribs (2000m²) of land in the Balkh district, and TİKA plans to finish its reconstruction with the help of Turkish specialists before making it publicly accessible.
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