A centre for religious studies has been opened in eastern Afghanistan in the hope that more Afghans will stay inside the country for such an education instead of going to Pakistan.
The senator who on Thursday opened the centre in eastern Nangarhar province said that Afghan children are going to Pakistan to get their religious education but they come back as insurgents and suicide bombers.
"With every day bringing suicide attacks and explosions, we decided to build a religious center here in order for our children and youth to get an Islamic education instead of going to neighboring countries where insurgency and military education was being taught" senator Lotfullah Baba said.
Lack of religious centers in the country obliges Afghan children to go Pakistan, he said.
Baba built the centre worth around Afs 15 million in the Hesar-e-Shahi district of the province.
"The centre already has 300 students... in the future we aim to attract 2000 students here ," Baba said.
Nangarhar shares a border with Pakistan which is why so many residents go there for a religious education.
Local officials have said that the residents wouldn't go to Pakistan if the government helped with more learning opportunities inside Afghanistan.