Since the raid that killed Osama bin Laden last week, there have been plenty of rumors around Abbottabad about plans to destroy the compound.
Pakistani officials, however, have denied the existence of such plans, with a top local official telling FoxNews that "People are already coming here from as far away as Lahore to see the house, so why should we destroy the building? The more revenue, the better."
A correspondent for RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal, Fawad Ali Shah, asked locals in Abbottabad whether they would want to see the compound preserved or destroyed. Here is a small representative sample of their responses (the locals wished to remain anonymous):
-- Luke Allnutt
Pakistani officials, however, have denied the existence of such plans, with a top local official telling FoxNews that "People are already coming here from as far away as Lahore to see the house, so why should we destroy the building? The more revenue, the better."
A correspondent for RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal, Fawad Ali Shah, asked locals in Abbottabad whether they would want to see the compound preserved or destroyed. Here is a small representative sample of their responses (the locals wished to remain anonymous):
"The house should be demolished because this will mark the end of the war. The security people and the American army will be left with no excuse to come here for an operation in Abbottabad."
"The house should be converted into a museum. With the destruction, the amount of money spent on the construction will go to waste."
"This is a memorial to Osama and it must stay here because Osama was not a simple man, he was a worldly man. Obviously this house should stay as his memorial."
"This house should stay intact. It was not Osama’s house. It was someone else’s house and it should stay intact."
"The house should be converted into a museum. With the destruction, the amount of money spent on the construction will go to waste."
"This is a memorial to Osama and it must stay here because Osama was not a simple man, he was a worldly man. Obviously this house should stay as his memorial."
"This house should stay intact. It was not Osama’s house. It was someone else’s house and it should stay intact."
-- Luke Allnutt