Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Ahror Burkhanov, Press Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, made a statement in response to media reports regarding the situation around the monument to the great poet and thinker Alisher Navoi in the Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif.

According to him, immediately after receiving information about the demolition of the monument, the Uzbek side promptly contacted the Government of Afghanistan to obtain official clarification.

“Based on the information received, the monument was dismantled by local authorities because the site of its installation was deemed insufficiently worthy to perpetuate the memory of the great thinker. It was emphasized that a more majestic complex will be erected for the poet and philosopher,” noted Ahror Burkhanov.

At the same time, the Afghan side stressed that the decision to demolish was not coordinated with either the Ministry of Culture and Information of Afghanistan or the broader public. The authorities expressed regret over the incident.

Representatives of the Afghan Government assured that the memory of Alisher Navoi — revered not only in Uzbekistan but also by the Afghan people — will be honored appropriately. In particular, plans include landscaping the area, restoring information inscriptions about his life and creative legacy, and erecting a new monument. The square where it will be installed will be named after the great poet.

The Afghan side confirmed its commitment to preserving the legacy of Alisher Navoi and emphasized readiness to take all necessary steps to ensure his name is properly immortalized.