One billion Iraqi dinars allocated for governmental buildings in Karbala

Karbala-Projects KARBALA / IraqiNews.com: A total of 1.150 billion Iraqi dinars were allocated to implement projects of the governmental buildings in al-Khayrat district in eastern Karbala, said the head of the district’s council. “The amount was allocated to set up four buildings for the government’s departments; water, electricity, agriculture and civilian affairs,” Abbas Daaboul al-Kareeti told IraqiNews.com. “The projects are scheduled to be implemented in the first months of 2009,” he also said. Karbala, with an estimated population of 572,300 people in 2003, is the capital of the province and is considered to be one of Shiite Muslims’ holiest cities. The city, 110 km south of Baghdad, is one of Iraq’s wealthiest, profiting both from religious visitors and agricultural produce, especially dates. It is made up of two districts, “Old Karbala,” the religious centre, and “New Karbala,” the residential district containing Islamic schools and government buildings. At the center of the old city is Masjid al-Hussein, the tomb of Hussein Ibn Ali, grandsone of the Prophet Muhammad by his daughter Fatima al-Zahraa and Ali Ibn Abi Taleb. Imam Hussien’s tomb is a place of pilgrimage for many Shiite Muslims, especially on the anniversary of the battle, the Day of Ashuraa. Many elderly pilgrims travel there to await death, as they believe the tomb to be one of the gates to paradise. On April 14, 2007, a car bomb exploded about 600 ft (200 m) from the shrine, killing 47 and wounding over 150. SH (S)/SR 1