Abdul Rashid Dostum, leader of the National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan, has issued a stern warning to the Taliban: restore the demolished statue of Amir Ali-Shir Nava’i in Mazar-e Sharif—or face future regret.
In a strongly worded statement, Dostum said, “Immediate action must be taken to reconstruct the monument to the Prince of Speech. Otherwise, the people of Afghanistan will witness that the descendants and followers of this great man will not remain silent. Our people will never forget this disgraceful act, nor will they forgive its perpetrators.”
The destruction of the monument, which honored the renowned Timurid-era poet and scholar, has drawn widespread backlash both domestically and internationally.
Dostum condemned the act as “irrational, insulting, senseless, and utterly unexpected,” calling it a deliberate affront not only to the people of Afghanistan but to Turkic communities worldwide.
He said the demolition represents an “attempt to humiliate a nation and erase its cultural pride,” and described it as “a reckless insult to the legacy and identity of an entire people.”
Dostum also called on UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, to take action. “Turkic communities in Afghanistan must feel that attacks on their national and international heritage will not go unanswered,” he said.
