Arg, Kabul – H.E. Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, returned to Kabul this afternoon after his visit to Badakhshan province where he attended a memorial service held in the honour of a mass grave that was recently unearthed in Qorogh desert.  

Rosary beads, pens, notebooks, barbed wires, chains, shackles, hand cuffs and shoes found at the site near Qorogh desert are indicative of sheer cruelty of the crimes committed against those who had been buried in this mass grave.

A memorial service was held at the site of the grave which was attended by President Hamid Karzai, Ustad Burhanuddin Rabbani, Member of Parliament, Nematullah Shahrani, Minister of Hajj and Religious Affairs, Monshi Abdul Majid, Governor of Badakhshan Province, elders, and the families of the victims.

Addressing this memorial gathering, the President said, "I felt very sad when I heard the news and was very impatient to visit this mass grave to pray to God for the souls of these martyrs."

"These bones and remains of our people uncovered at this mass grave have littered Afghanistan's plains and deserts which are reminiscences of the times when our innocent people were buried alive in mass graves."  

"When I heard the news, the sound of gunshots reverberated in my ears and I pictured my innocent countrymen lying dead in a mass grave and their voices were being stifled."

"The martyrs of Qorogh desert are the Afghan nation's martyrs who represent our feelings and emotions. They were murdered because of the Soviet invasion and internal treason."

"Throughout the country every family has an orphaned child, and there are many mothers who mourn the death of their children. It is very unfortunate that Afghanistan is still suffering. One tyrant is gone, another has come. Today, our people are still being killed. Though Afghanistan was saved and become independent but its sufferings have not ended yet."

"In order to keep the memories of our martyrs alive, we must remain united and continue to live in harmony. We should hold our martyrs in high regard and learn lessons from these tragedies. Today, our people are still suffering at the hands of foreigners who are abetted by internal treason."

 "Afghanistan will only achieve sustainable peace when the Afghan people chop off the hands of foreigners who meddle in our internal affairs. We must support the families of these martyrs by providing them better education and health services."

"We must provide health services to those mothers who live in the most inaccessible parts of this province. Justice should be done, but we should not take revenge."

The President allocated 5 million Afghanis for the construction of a memorial monument, a mosque, and a museum.

Addressing development in Badakhshan province, the President said, "I hope that development projects will be implemented in this province in a balanced manner. With the completion of Keshm-Taloqan road, the construction of Keshm-Faizabad road will start. During my recent visit to China, I discussed with Chinese authorities the construction of a highway between Afghanistan and China."

Also, the President informed the people of the survey of Kokcha River, and assured them that this project will start in the near future.

President Hamid Karzai, Ustad Burhanuddin Rabbani, and Nematullah Shahrani jointly laid the foundation stone of the memorial monument at the site of the mass grave in Qorogh desert.