KABUL (PAN): Given below are brief biographies of the 23 ministers introduced to the Wolesi Jirga for approval on Saturday, almost a month after President Hamid Karzai was sworn in for a second term: Minister of Defence Gen Abdul Rahim Wardak: The son of Abdul Ghani, he was born in central Maidan Wardak province in 1944. He has retained the portfolio he held in the previous cabinet. After graduating from Habibia High School, he joined the Cadet University and completed higher studies in the United States and Ali Naser Academy in Cairo, Egypt. He served as a lecturer in Cadet University and assistant of protocol of the Ministry of Defence. He served as military assistant of Mahaz-i-Milli, military assistant of the Trilateral Unity, member of Ittehad-i-Mujahidin and commander of the Jihadi fronts of Mahaz-i-Milli. After the fall of communist regime, he was a member of the Security Committee of Kabul City, Chief of the Army Staff, Director of the Military Officers' Society, Director of the Education Commission, member of the National Army Commission, Deputy Defence Minister, Director of Disarmament Programme and Director of Reform of the National Army. He has many literary works in Pashto, Dari and English. Minister of Interior Mohammad Hanif Atmar: Mohammad Hanif Atmar, son of Mohammad Asef Atmar, was born in 1968 in eastern Laghman province. He received a Bachelor's Degree in Rural Development Studies in the United Kingdom and earned his Masters Degree in International Relations and Post-war Development from York University in the UK. He has also obtained a diploma in Information Technology and Computer from the UK. From 1992 to 1994, he served as advisor for humanitarian programmes in aid agencies, both in Afghanistan and Pakistan. From 1994 to 2000, he was Programme Manager of the Norwegian Committee for Afghanistan. Until 2002, he served as Deputy Director General of the International Rescue Committee. The same year, he was appointed as Minister of Rural Rehabilitation and Development in the Transitional Government. Atmar has authored many books in English in addition to numerous analytical articles on humanitarian aid in the rehabilitation of Afghanistan. Atmar is fluent in Dari, Pashto, English and Urdu. He was Appointed Interior Minister on October 11, 2008, and approved by Parliament on October 20, 2008. Atmar previously served as Education Minister in 2006. Minister of Finance Omar Zakhilwal: Born in 1967, he hails from Nangarhar. He acquired early education in Kunar, Parwan Panjsher and Nangarhar provinces. Prior to his current position, Dr. Zakhilwal served as President of the Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA), a member of the Supreme Council of Da Afghanistan Bank, Acting Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation and Chief Advisor to the Ministry of Rural Development of Afghanistan. The author of the first Afghanistan National Human Development Report, released by UNDP in February 2007, he also worked as an Afghan counterpart to the Ottawa-based North-South community-led development project in sustainable peace building. He has done consulting work for the World Bank, UNDP, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and other organisations. Dr. Zakhilwal has written numerous articles in English on political, economic and social issues pertaining to Afghanistan for foreign newspapers, magazines and journals. He obtained his BA (Honors), MA and PhD in Economics from the University of Winnipeg, Queens University and Carleton University in Canada respectively. Prior to his return to Afghanistan, he served as a Senior Research Economist at Statistics Canada and taught economics at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. A Professor of Economics at Carleton University in Ottawa, he is fluent in English, Pashto and Dari on. He was a delegate to the recent historic Loya Jirga in Kabul. He was nominated by President Karzai on February 7, 2009, and approved by the Parliament on March 3, 2009. Minister of Justice Sarwar Danish: Sarwar Danish, son of Mohammad Ali, was born to a religious family in 1951 in central Daikundi province. He completed his primary education in Afghanistan and higher studies in Iraq, Syria and Iran. He has earned a Bachelor's Degree in Law, a Certificate in Journalism, a Bachelor's Degree in Islamic Culture and Education, a Master's Degree in Islamic Fiqh and is working on a PhD (in progress) in the same field. His academic work includes 15 different books, some 700 his essays. From 1982 until 2001, he had been in charge of different publications. He was a member and active participant in the Emergency Loya Jirga of 2002, a member of the Constitution Drafting Commission and a participant of the Constitutional Loya Jirga. When Daikundi was declared a province in 2004, he was appointed as the first governor. The same year he was appointed as Justice Minister. He is fluent in Pashto, Dari and Arabic. Minister of Education Dr. Ghulam Farooq Wardak: Born in 1959 in Syedabad district of central Maidan Wardak province, he got his primary and middle education in his native town and acquired secondary education in Kabul. Wardak joined the Pharmacy Faculty of the Punjab University in Pakistan in 1982 and completed his studies in 1986. He worked for the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan in Peshawar between 1986 and 1991. Having served the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) from 1996 to 2001, he earned a Master's degree in administration from the Preston University in Peshawar. He was appointed as head of Darul Insha (Secretariat) during the interim government in 1993. Later in that year, he was appointed as administrative head of the cabinet. Simultaneously, he headed of the Darul Insha of the Regional Peace Jirga. He was named Minister of Education in 2008, a portfolio he retains in the new cabinet. He knows Pashto, Dari, English and Urdu languages. Minister of Higher Education Prof. Dr. Obaidullah Obaid: The son of Abdul Wahab, he was born in 1970, in Kabul and received his early education from Manochehri School and Nadarya Higher Secondary School. He acquired higher education from the Medical Faculty of Kabul University. A professor, he has a Master's degree. Having held different positions at Kabul University, he also served as Director of the university and advisor to the president on social affairs. He was a representative of Kabul residents at the Emergency Loya Jirga and the Constitutional Jirga. He has command of Pashto, Dari and English languages. Minister of Water & Energy Mohammad Ismael Khan: The son of Haji Mohammad Aslam, he was born in 1948 in Naserabad village of Shindand district in western Herat province. He received higher education from the Kabul Cadet University in 1970. He joined Division Number 17 of the National Army in Herat and subsequently joined Jihad as the division revolted against the Soviets. He was appointed as Governor of Herat in 1992, a post he held until 1995. In 1997, he was detained by the Taliban and spent three years in jail. After the fall of Taliban, he was appointed as Governor of Herat. Appointed as Water and Energy Minister in 2004, Ismael Khan knows Dari, Pashto and English. Minister of Hajj & Islamic Affairs Enayatullah Baligh: The son of Ziaul Haq, he was born in 1955 in central Kapisa province. He received high education from an Arabic seminary in Kabul and later graduated from the Sharia Faculty of Kabul University. Baligh served as Deputy Governor of Kapisa and Director of the Darul Insha in the same province from 1980 to 1992. He also served as administrative head of the Construction Ministry and Urban Development Ministry and Director of the Amr Bil Maroof Wa Nahi Anil Munkar (Vice and Virtue Department) from 1992 to 1996. From 1998 to 2005, he worked for the Al-Beruni University in Kapisa, Ministry of Refugee Affairs and Kabul University. During the transitional government, Baligh headed the Court of Appeal for Crimes against Internal and External Crimes. He served as member of the Special Court of Property Disputes. Before his nomination as Minister of Hajj, he was teacher at the Sharia Faculty of Kabul University. Having been a member of the Fiqh and Law Faculty, he was part of the Central Shura of Ulema and Khateeb of the Pul-i-Khishti Mosque. Minister of Public Welfare Mirza Hussain Abullahi: The son of Muhammad Essa, he was born in 1956 in Qarabagh district of southern Ghazni province. Belonging to the Hazara community, he has received a degree from the Engineering Faculty of the Kabul University. He has masters from the Manila Institute and a Doctorate in Policy and Public Affairs from the Atlantic International University of America. His father was advisor to the ministry. He can speak Pashto, Dari, English and Urdu languages. Minister of Information and Culture Dr. Sayed Makhdoom Raheen: The son of Mir Sharif, he was born in 1946 in Kabul. He obtained a Doctorate in Dari from Kabul and Tehran Universities. He worked in different positions from 1973 to 1980, including as a member of the Faculty of Literature of Kabul University, head of the Centre for Kushans at the Ministry of Information and Culture, head of Foreign Publications Department of the Ministry of Information and Culture and teacher at the Faculty of Literature of Kabul University. He was Director of the Azad Kabul Radio during the era of Jihad, member of the Higher Council and Director of the Culture Committee. He laid the foundation of the Society for Peace and Democracy in Afghanistan in the United States. He was member of the Planning and Executive Committee of the Loya Jirga. He also played an active role in the Bon Conference. He was Minister of Information and Culture during the transitional government. Serving as Afghan Ambassador to India, Raheen fluently speaks Pashto, Dari, English, Arabic and Urdu languages. Minister of Public Health Dr. Mohammad Amin Fatimi: Born on 1952 in Nangarhar province, he graduated from Habibia High School and earned his Doctorate in Medicine from Nangarhar Medical College in 1977. He has participated in advanced academic programmes in Bonn, Germany and the High Institute of Public Management in Karachi. He has a certificate in healthcare and earned a Health Policy in Developing Countries certificate from Boston University in the US in 1995. Having served as a doctor in Badakhshan, a teacher in the Kabul Public Health Institute and a member of the Health Awareness Department, he was member of the advisory board of the Health Ministry in the interim government in the early 1990s and Deputy Minister and First Deputy Minister of Public Health. He was the Public Health Minister from 1993 to 1995. Fatimi has served as a advisor to the World Health Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland, for Mediterranean countries, as permanent advisor to the WHO for the Eastern Mediterranean countries, and from 1992 to 1994, a member of the Executive Board of WHO. Appointed as Public Health Minister in 2004, a slot that he retains in the new cabinet, Fatimi fluently speaks Pashto, Dari and English. Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock Muhammad Asif Rahimi: Appointed as minister on October 11, 2008 and approved by Parliament on October 20, 2008, Rahimi was born and raised in Paghman district of Kabul. He holds a degree from Kabul University and completed his post-graduate studies in Management of Development Programmes from Omaha University in the US. He has worked extensively in the area of development and humanitarian relief both in Afghanistan and abroad. For over a decade he worked with CARE-USA as manager of CARE operations in Afghanistan. He later moved to Canada in 2001 and joined CARE-Canada as South Asia regional manager. Returning to Afghanistan in early 2005, Rahimi joined the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) as the head of National Solidarity Programme (NSP) - the flagship community development initiative of the government. Since April 2006 he has served the MRRD as Deputy Minister of Programmes. Rahimi has contributed immensely to policy and strategy development within the government. Minister of Economy Dr. Anwarul Haq Ahadi: Born in 1951 in Kabul, he earned Masters in Economics and Political Science from the American University in Beirut. He earned his Doctorate in Political Science from the Northwestern University in the US. He was Assistant Professor of Political Science at Carlton University from 1984 to 1992. He also served as Professor at the Providence University in the United States and Director of Da Afghanistan Bank from 2002 to 2004 before his appointment as Finance Minister, a position he held till 2008. Minister of Mines Wahidullah Shahrani: The son of Niamatullah Shahrani, he was born in 1973 in Kabul. In late December 2008, he assumed the role of Minister of Commerce & Industry. From January 2005 to December 2008, he served as Advisor to the President on Finance as well as the Deputy Minister of Finance. He played an instrumental role in shaping the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS). Shahrani served as First Deputy Governor of the central bank (Da Afghanistan Bank) While residing in the UK, he served as lecturer in economics for two years at the Faculty of Business & Economics at Richmond Upon Thames College, Kingston University. He holds academic qualifications in economics, banking and finance from the UK and Pakistan. Minister of Communications Amirzai Sangin: The son of Amir Gul Shahkhel, he was born in the Argon district of southeastern Paktika province. He completed his secondary education in Gardez and graduated from the Communication Training Centre. In 1972, he earned a Bachelor's degree in Electronics and Communications from Southern London University in the UK. A teacher in the Communication Training Centre from 1978 to 1980, he later served as the Director of that center. In 1980, he migrated to Sweden and became one of the founding members of Swedish Committee in Afghanistan. He actively participated in the development of the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan. Sangin was employed in the communications sector in Sweden and served as a team member of the communication project of Shah Khalid in Saudi Arabia. After 2001, he repatriated to Afghanistan and arranged training seminars for engineers of the Ministry of Communication and Afghan Wireless Company. He was the leader of the Supervising Committee of the GSM Licence and a senior advisor to the Minister of Communication from February 2003 till his appointment as minister. Appointed as director of Afghan Telecom in July 2004, he has played an effective role in formation of the company, approval of the statute and follow-up to communications projects. He speaks Dari, Pashto, English and Swedish. Minister of Commerce Ghulam Muhammad Eeilaqi: The son of Ghulam Sakhi, he was born in 1943 in northern Balkh province. He is married with two sons and a daughter. He did his intermediate from the Bakhtar Higher Secondary School in Mazar-i-Sharif in 1961 and acquired higher education from the Economics Faculty of Kabul University in 1965. He then completed his education at the Pisa University in Italy. He took part in the historic Bon Conference and served as Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Commerce. With knowledge of Russian language, he can speak Pashto, Dari, Italian and English. Minister of Rural Rehabilitation and Development Eng. Wais Ahmad Barmak: Born in 1972 in Kabul, he completed primary and secondary education from Nadarya High School. He obtained a Degree in Engineering from Kabul University and did MSc (Development Studies) from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London. He can speak on Dari, Pashto and English languages. Before taking over as Deputy Minister of Programmes for the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD), he served as Executive Director of the National Solidarity Programme (NSP), Senior Advisor to the Department of Disaster Management and Preparedness in Afghanistan. In 2002, he worked as Policy/Programme Officer with the Programme, Policy, and Planning Unit in UNAMA in Kabul. He also worked as Programme Officer and Deputy Regional Coordination Officer for the United Nations Coordinators Office (UNCO) for Afghanistan. From 1996 to 1998, he worked as Senior Programme Officer for ACBAR in Kabul, responsible for ensuring the coordination of NGO activities and the facilitation of liaison with central line ministries. He has participated in national and international conferences, workshops and training courses. Minister of Labour, Social Affairs and Disabled Mohammad Ismail Monshi: Born in 1959 in Shirak village of Aqcha district of northern Jawzjan province, he received primary and secondary education in his hometown and graduated from the Faculty of Literature and Humanitarian Science of the Kabul University in 1985. He migrated to Pakistan in 1991 before going to Turkmenistan. He returned to Afghanistan after the ouster of the Taliban regime in 2001. Once deputy head of the Executive Council of Junbish-i-Milli, he attended the Constitutional Loya jirga as a public representative from Jawzjan. He speaks Dari, Pashto, Uzbek and Turkmen languages. Minister of Transport and Aviation Dr. Mohammadullah Batash: The son of Al-haj Bori, he was born in 1961 in the Batash village of the Imam Sahib district in northern Kunduz province. He completed primary and secondary education in his native district in 1978. He earned Master's Degree from a university in Russia in 1985. Batash served at the Faculties of History, Journalism and Social Science Institute of the Kabul University. He received a Doctorate in Social Sciences in Russia and served as advisor to the Ministry for Parliamentary Affairs from 1995 to 2005 and secretary of Junbish-i-Milli. He served the LGCG as advisor on provincial councils and parliamentary affairs. Minister of Women's Affairs Mrs. Husn Bano Ghazanfar: The daughter of Abdul Ghafar, she was born in northern Balkh province on February 1, 1957. She graduated from Sultan Razia High School in Mazar-i-Sharif and obtained her Master's degree in Literature and Sociology from Stawarpool in Qafqaaz in 1983. Later she joined the Literature Faculty of Kabul University. After two years of service as lecturer, she went to Petersburg to obtain her Doctorate in Philology. In 2003, she was appointed as the head of the Literature Faculty, a post she held until she was appointed as the Minister of Women's Affairs. She has also worked as a member of the High Council of the Ministry of Higher Education, member of Speranto International Association of Women, International Association of Turk Zabanan and the Board of Directors of Hakim Naser Khusro Balkhi Association. Fluent in Dari, Pashto, Uzbek and Russian and knowing a little Turkish and English, she has penned articles in national and international newspapers. A poet writing excellent literary pieces, she has authored books. Minister of Refugees and Returnees Enayatullah Nazari: The son of Nazar Muhammad, he was born in 1954 in Jabalus Siraj district of central Parwan province. He acquired primary and secondary education from in Jabalus Siraj High School and did BA from Kabul University in 1977. He earned a Master's degree in International Relations from an Iranian University. He held different positions including assignments as Attorney of the Chamtal district in Balkh province and attorney of Mazar-i-Sharif. He was Deputy Attorney General of Kabul. He served as Director General of Control and Audit Department in the government of Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani until 1999. Nazari was Minister of Refugees and Returnees during the transitional government. He can speak Pashto and Dari. Minister of Border and Tribal Affairs Sayed Hamed Gilani: Born in 1955 in Kabul, he completed his secondary education from the Habibia High School. He joined the Public Relation Department of the Justice Ministry in 1973. He acquired higher education in Cairo, and did graduation (Political Science) in 1976 in Iran. He earned a degree in Islamic Law from Islamabad in1986. The acting chief of Mahaz-i-Milli Party since 1978, he represented Mujahin at the OIC conference in 1988. He has participated in several national and international conferences. He also participated as head of the Peshawar Group in the Bonn Conference in 2001. Gilani has been working as the first deputy chairman of the upper house of parliament since 2005. He has traveled to many countries and can speak, Dari, Pashto, Arabic and English. Minister of Counter-Narcotics Gen. Khodaidad: Born in 1955 in central Uruzgan province, he acquired primary education in Shahristan district. He completed military education at the Kabul Military School. For higher education, he was admitted to military academies in India and Russia. He has held various positions in the Afghan Army from 1977 to 1992 and received 52 medals. Khodaidad was appointed as Minister of National Intelligence during first Mujahideen regime. Later on he resigned the post and went to the UK, where he mobilised Afghan refugees. He became Deputy Minister of Counter-Narcotics in 2005 and Acting Minister in 2007. He was named Counter-Narcotics Minister in 2008. Khodaidad can speak Dar, Pashto and Russian. mud
