The Darulaman Palace was gutted by fire in 1968, and since then has been repeatedly caught up in Afghanistan's conflicts.
Inside an imposing building in Kabul, a team of welders hastily fuse a sweeping metal bannister to a grand staircase. Outside, gardeners spray torrents of water over the parched earth, willing the grass to grow.
Work at the famed palace must be completed by August 19, the date marking 100 years of Afghan independence from Britain, when President Ashraf Ghani will inaugurate the newly renovated structure. But in 2016 Ghani ordered the palace's renovation and, after finalising design plans, construction work began in earnest in March 2018.
The $10.5-million renovation has been a boon to Kabul's workforce. Cedar trimmings in high-ceilinged rooms that come from Kunar province in the west, and marble fittings from the western city of Herat mean businesses around the country have benefitted.But not everyone is happy the palace is being returned to its former glory, wondering if the money could have been put to better use in one of the world's poorest countries.
On August 19, 1919, London and Kabul signed the Anglo-Afghan Treaty in which Britain recognised Afghan independence and vowed that British India would not extend west beyond the Khyber Pass.
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
When school's not safe: Afghan war takes toll on kidsSixteen-year-old Madina still has nightmares about the day two huge blasts tore through her school in Kabul, showering shards of broken window ...
Read more »
Trump meets advisers on Afghan peace plan[BRIDGEWATER] President Donald Trump met with top advisers on Friday to review negotiations with the Taliban on a US troop pullout from Afghanistan and the potential for a political settlement between the warring sides. Read more at The Business Times.
Read more »
Brother of Afghan Taliban leader killed in Pakistan mosque blastQUETTA/KABUL: The brother of the leader of the Afghan Taliban was among at least four people killed in a bomb blast at a mosque in Pakistan on ...
Read more »
Rudderless rebellion: Inside the Hong Kong protesters' anarchic campaign against ChinaHONG KONG: Ah Lung spends his days working as a clerk for a Hong Kong shipping firm. At night, he dons a mask, black helmet and body armor, and ...
Read more »
Brother of Afghan Taliban leader killed in Pakistan mosque blastQUETTA/KABUL: The brother of the leader of the Afghan Taliban was among at least four people killed in a bomb blast at a mosque in Pakistan on ...
Read more »
When school's not safe: Afghan war takes toll on kidsSixteen-year-old Madina still has nightmares about the day two huge blasts tore through her school in Kabul, showering shards of broken window ...
Read more »