KABUL (PAN): Some Wolesi Jirga (lower house) members on Saturday asked the government to ensure Ghazni City honoured its title of capital of Islamic culture as the celebrations began. The much-awaited ceremony to declare Ghazni City as the Asian Capital of Islamic Culture and Civilisation began at the governor’s office in Ghazni City, where more than 2,000 people gathered amid tight security. Vice President Karim Khalili, foreign ministers of several Islamic and neighbouring countries as well as foreign diplomats and parliamentarians attended the festival. Ending April 19, the festival comes nearly five years after Ghazni City was selected to serve as the Asian Capital of Islamic Civilisation at a conference held in Tripoli, Libya in 2007 by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (IESCO). Some lawmakers said it was a great achievement that Ghazni would serve the year 2013 as the Asian capital of Islamic Civilisation, but the title needed to be truly honoured and respected. "The declaration is a matter of pride and pleasure for all Afghans," said speaker Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi, who asked the government and Ghazni residents to ensure the pride was preserved. "It is an honour for every Afghan and we should keep this honour protected," another lawmaker from Kabul, Shukria Barakzai, said. She hoped the Ghazni ceremony would help change the common perception that Afghanistan was only known for drug production, trafficking and terrorism.