MAZAR-I-SHARIF - Hajj and Auqaf Minister Faiz Mohammad Osmani on Sunday said about 100,000 mosques needed to be registered across the country.

Osmani, who inaugurated the newly-constructed hajj centre in Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of northern Balkh province, told reporters a total of 150,000 mosques existed in the country.

He said the registration of mosques was common in Islamic countries and all mosques in Afghanistan should be registered with the government.

Of the total mosques, the minister said, only 50,000 mosques had been registered with the Ministry of Hajj and Islamic Affairs.

He informed the process to register unregistered mosques would be launched in the near future. He said the move would revive relations between religious scholars and the government in remote areas.

The minister said he visited Balkh province to inaugurate the hajj complex which cost $1 million provided by the Ministry of Hajj and Auqaf.

He said the complex building had been completed two years ago, but some technical problems delayed its inauguration.

He said the structure had facilities liked a teaching centre, kitchen, dining hall, living rooms, a clinic, a mosque and others.

The minister promised to construct a hall for holding seminars at the provincial Hajj and Auqaf Department and a library for Balkh residents. (Pajhwok)