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تصویر بندانگشتی

Vintage 'Royal' Car Handed To National Museum

An old car brought to Afghanistan around 70 years ago for the use of the royal family was handed to the Afghanistan National Museum on Monday in Kabul. 

The handover ceremony was attended by a number of government officials, including Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah.

Speaking at the ceremony, Abdullah said the car was brought to the country about 70 years ago for the use of the royal family and it was saved from being smuggled outside the country during fighting in the 1990s. 

According to Abdullah, Ahmad Shah Massoud, a national hero, ordered commander Mohammad Saeed Sofizada to protect the car and look after it.

“I remember during that difficult time in Kabul city, some people went to them and offered high prices for the car. Although people were in a bad situation, they were patriotic and not enticed by the prices offered,” said Abdullah. 

Sofizada, a former jihadi commander, said following the collapse of Kabul city by the hands of Taliban, he took the car to Panjshir province and kept it there. 

“Our check posts were in Despichari area in Kabul and one day this car was seen there. I saw this car was different to others and also had seen such a car on TV, portrayed in London and other places. They (smugglers) were driving the car away the and I told them to show me its documents, which they did not have so I stopped the car,” he said. 

Fahim Rahimi, chairman of Afghanistan National Museum, meanwhile said the national gallery has available space to keep vintage cars. 

“The walls around the compound where we keep old cars in the museum have been constructed this year and now it is ready to put old cars on show there,” said Rahimi. 

The decades of war in Afghanistan has damaged many cultural and historical sites and a number of ancient pieces have been smuggled outside the country. 

Vintage 'Royal' Car Handed To National Museum

An old car brought to Afghanistan 70 years ago has been presented for display at the National Museum.

تصویر بندانگشتی

An old car brought to Afghanistan around 70 years ago for the use of the royal family was handed to the Afghanistan National Museum on Monday in Kabul. 

The handover ceremony was attended by a number of government officials, including Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah.

Speaking at the ceremony, Abdullah said the car was brought to the country about 70 years ago for the use of the royal family and it was saved from being smuggled outside the country during fighting in the 1990s. 

According to Abdullah, Ahmad Shah Massoud, a national hero, ordered commander Mohammad Saeed Sofizada to protect the car and look after it.

“I remember during that difficult time in Kabul city, some people went to them and offered high prices for the car. Although people were in a bad situation, they were patriotic and not enticed by the prices offered,” said Abdullah. 

Sofizada, a former jihadi commander, said following the collapse of Kabul city by the hands of Taliban, he took the car to Panjshir province and kept it there. 

“Our check posts were in Despichari area in Kabul and one day this car was seen there. I saw this car was different to others and also had seen such a car on TV, portrayed in London and other places. They (smugglers) were driving the car away the and I told them to show me its documents, which they did not have so I stopped the car,” he said. 

Fahim Rahimi, chairman of Afghanistan National Museum, meanwhile said the national gallery has available space to keep vintage cars. 

“The walls around the compound where we keep old cars in the museum have been constructed this year and now it is ready to put old cars on show there,” said Rahimi. 

The decades of war in Afghanistan has damaged many cultural and historical sites and a number of ancient pieces have been smuggled outside the country. 

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