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Prime Minister of Afghanistan

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Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
  • د افغانستان د اسلامي امارت لومړی وزیر (Pashto)
    Də Afġānistān Islāmī Imārat lomři ozīr
  • رئیس الوزرای امارت اسلامی افغانستان (Dari)
    Raʾīs al-ozrāi Imārat-i Islāmī-yi Afghānistān
Emblem of Afghanistan
since 7 September 2021[a]
Government of Afghanistan
TypeHead of government
Member ofCabinet
Reports toLeadership
SeatKabul
AppointerSupreme Leader
Term lengthAt the pleasure of the supreme leader
Constituting instrument1998 dastur
Formation
  • 25 October 1927 (1927-10-25) (original)
  • 7 September 2021 (2021-09-07) (current form)
First holderShir Ahmad
SuccessionNo (Deputy Leader succeeds Supreme Leader)
DeputyDeputy Prime Minister
Salary؋198,250 monthly[3]
WebsiteOffice of the Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister
Politics of Afghanistan
Constitution
Government
Judiciary
Law enforcement
Administrative divisions
Elections
Foreign relations
flag Afghanistan portal

The prime minister of Afghanistan, officially the prime minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,[note 1] is the head of government of Afghanistan.[4]

The position was created in 1927 as an official appointed by the king of Afghanistan. The holder served mostly as an advisor, until the end of the Kingdom of Afghanistan in 1973. During the 1980s, the position was the head of government. The post was abolished after the US invasion that ousted the Taliban regime, after which a presidential form of government was established which lasted from 2004 to 2021. After the US withdrawal and the re-establishment of the Taliban rule, the post was revived.

The prime minister and government are subject to the instruction of the supreme leader.[5] On September 7, 2021 the Taliban officials who exercised de facto control of Afghanistan announced Islamic scholar Hasan Akhund as acting prime minister in a new interim government of the recently re-established Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.[6]

History

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Kingdom

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Main article: Kingdom of Afghanistan

The chairman of the Council of Ministers was not the prime minister, but the king. Only during his absence was the prime minister the acting chairman of the Council.

Until 1963, King Mohammad Zahir Shah appointed his relatives as prime ministers. The king also had the power to dismiss or transfer the prime minister. From 1963 onwards, this was changed, stating that the head of the Afghan government was the prime minister, and that the government consisted of its ministers. It was the first time that the king did not play an important role in the government, leaving it to an elected authority. However, it also stated that they cannot engage in any other profession during their tenure of office.

The 1964 Constitution also granted the prime minister the power to summon the Electoral College in case of the death of the king. The prime minister only answered to the Wolesi Jirga (lower house of the Parliament) about the General Policy of the government, and individually for their prescribed duties.[7]

Democratic Republic

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Main article: Democratic Republic of Afghanistan

In April 1978, Mohammad Daoud Khan was killed during a coup that started the Saur Revolution. The People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) revived the office of prime minister that year, and it remained throughout the 1980s.

The president was in charge of the appointment of the prime minister, who in turn appointed the Council of Ministers. The Council's stated purpose was to formulate and implement domestic and foreign policies, to formulate economic development plans and state budgets, and to ensure public order.

Under the 1987 Constitution, the president was required to appoint the prime minister in order to form the government. The prime minister had the power to dissolve the government. Several Afghan presidents during the Democratic Republic era were also appointed as prime minister. With the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the prime minister was no longer in charge of the government. The general secretary of the PDPA or the director of the KHAD exercised greater power.

Also, the 1990 Constitution established that only Afghan-born citizens are eligible to hold the office, something that was not specified in the previous documents.

Islamic State

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Main article: Islamic State of Afghanistan

After the collapse of Mohammad Najibullah's government, a transitional state was created. Thus, the office of prime minister once again played an important role in the history of the nation.

There was constant friction between the president and the premier during this period. The state had collapsed and there was not an effective central government from 1992 until 1996. Thus, the position became de facto ceremonial, with little power in what was left of the government.

Islamic Emirate

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Main article: Taliban

The title was abolished when the Taliban forces of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan took over control in 1996. The deputy leader of the Taliban was often known as the prime minister throughout its rule. With the death of Mohammad Rabbani in 2001,[8] the Taliban decided not to revive the office.

Until September 1997, the government which the Taliban had ousted, which remained in rebellion until the end of the Taliban rule in 2001, had a prime minister in the government, but the position was abolished.

On September 7, 2021, the Taliban reinstated the position of prime minister.

List of prime ministers

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(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)

Name Portrait Lifespan Term of office Political affiliation
Took office Left office Time in office
Kingdom of Afghanistan (1926–1973)
Shir Ahmad c. 1885–? 25 October 1927 January 1929 1 year, 2 months Independent
Prime Minister; Deposed.
Shir Giyan died 1929 January 1929 1 November 1929 10 months Independent
Prime Minister; Deposed.
Mohammad Hashim Khan 1884–1953 1 November 1929 9 May 1946 16 years, 189 days Independent
Prime Minister; Member of the Barakzai dynasty.
Amanat Lewana Unknown c. 1944 c. 1946 c. 2 years Unknown
Prime Minister under king Salemai; Eastern Province only during the 1944–47 tribal revolts.
Shah Mahmud Khan 1890–1959 9 May 1946 7 September 1953[9] 7 years, 121 days Independent
Prime Minister; Member of the Barakzai dynasty.
Mohammad Daoud Khan 1909–1978 7 September 1953 10 March 1963 9 years, 184 days Independent
Prime Minister; Member of the Barakzai dynasty.
Mohammad Yusuf 1917–1998 10 March 1963 2 November 1965 2 years, 237 days Independent
Prime Minister.
Mohammad Hashim Maiwandwal 1919–1973 2 November 1965 11 October 1967 1 year, 343 days Independent
(until 1966)
Progressive Democratic Party
Prime Minister.
Abdullah Yaqta 1914–2003 11 October 1967 1 November 1967 21 days Independent
Acting Prime Minister.
Mohammad Nur Ahmad Etemadi 1921–1979 1 November 1967 9 June 1971 3 years, 220 days Independent
Prime Minister.
Abdul Zahir 1910–1982 9 June 1971 12 November 1972 1 year, 156 days Independent
Prime Minister.
Mohammad Musa Shafiq 1932–1979 12 November 1972 17 July 1973 247 days Independent
Prime Minister; Deposed during the 1973 coup d'état.[10]
Post abolished (17 July 1973 – 1 May 1978)
Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (1978–1992)
Nur Muhammad Taraki 1917–1979 1 May 1978 27 March 1979 330 days People's Democratic Party
(Khalq faction)
Chairman of the Council of Ministers.
Hafizullah Amin 1929–1979 27 March 1979 27 December 1979 275 days People's Democratic Party
(Khalq faction)
Chairman of the Council of Ministers; Assassinated by Soviet special forces during the Operation Storm-333.[11]
Babrak Karmal 1929–1996 27 December 1979 11 June 1981 1 year, 166 days People's Democratic Party
(Parcham faction)
Chairman of the Council of Ministers.
Sultan Ali Keshtmand born 1935 11 June 1981 26 May 1988 6 years, 350 days People's Democratic Party
(Parcham faction)
Chairman of the Council of Ministers; First tenure.
Mohammad Hasan Sharq born 1925 26 May 1988 21 February 1989 271 days Independent
Chairman of the Council of Ministers; Appointed as part of the National Reconciliation process.
Sultan Ali Keshtmand born 1935 21 February 1989 8 May 1990 1 year, 76 days People's Democratic Party
(Parcham faction)
Chairman of the Council of Ministers; Second tenure.
Fazal Haq Khaliqyar 1934–2004 8 May 1990 15 April 1992 1 year, 343 days People's Democratic Party
(Parcham faction)
(until June 1990)
Homeland Party
Chairman of the Council of Ministers; Resigned.
Islamic State of Afghanistan (1992–2002)
Abdul Sabur Farid Kohistani 1952–2007 6 July 1992 15 August 1992 40 days Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin
Prime Minister.
Post vacant (15 August 1992 – 17 June 1993)
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar born 1947 17 June 1993 28 June 1994 1 year, 11 days Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin
Prime Minister; First tenure.
Arsala Rahmani Daulat 1937–2012 28 June 1994 1995 ≈ 1 year Ittehad-e Islami
Acting Prime Minister.
Ahmad Shah Ahmadzai 1944–2021 1995 26 June 1996 ≈ 1 year Ittehad-e Islami
Acting Prime Minister.
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar born 1947 26 June 1996 11 August 1997 1 year, 46 days Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin
Prime Minister; Second tenure; Fled Kabul following its fall to the Taliban on 27 September 1996;[12] Continued to serve as Prime Minister in areas controlled by the Northern Alliance during the 1996–2001 Civil War; Between 1996 and 2001, the Islamic State remained the internationally recognized government, despite only controlling about 10% of Afghan territory.
Abdul Rahim Ghafoorzai 1947–1997 11 August 1997 21 August 1997 10 days Independent
Prime Minister; Served only in areas controlled by the Northern Alliance due to the 1996–2001 Civil War; Between 1996 and 2001, the Islamic State remained the internationally recognized government, despite only controlling about 10% of Afghan territory; Killed in an aircraft crash.
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001)
Mullah
Mohammad Rabbani 		1955–2001 27 September 1996 13 April 2001 4 years, 198 days Taliban
Deputy Head of the Supreme Council; Prime Minister; Deputy leader of the Taliban; Died in office;[13] Between 1996 and 2001, the Islamic Emirate never attained widespread international recognition, despite controlling about 90% of Afghan territory.
Mawlawi
Abdul Kabir 		born 1958 16 April 2001 13 November 2001 211 days Taliban
Acting Deputy Head of the Supreme Council; Acting Prime Minister; Deposed during the fall of Kabul.[14]
Post abolished (13 November 2001 – 7 September 2021)
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (2021–present)
Mullah
Hasan Akhund 		between 1945 and 1958[15] 7 September 2021 Incumbent 3 years, 63 days Taliban
Acting Prime Minister; The Islamic Emirate is currently not internationally recognized, despite controlling all Afghan territory.[16][17] Hasan Akhund spent 17 May to 17 July 2023 in Kandahar recovering from an illness, during which his deputy Abdul Kabir carried out the duties of the prime minister.[1][2]
Mawlawi
Abdul Kabir 		born 1958 17 May 2023 17 July 2023 61 days Taliban
Acting Prime Minister pro tempore while Hasan Akhund was recovering from an illness.[18][1][2]

Timeline

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Hasan AkhundAbdul KabirAbdul Rahim GhafoorzaiMohammad RabbaniAhmad Shah AhmadzaiArsala Rahmani DaulatGulbuddin HekmatyarAbdul Sabur Farid KohistaniFazal Haq KhaliqyarMohammad Hasan SharqSultan Ali KeshtmandBabrak KarmalHafizullah AminNur Muhammad TarakiMohammad Musa ShafiqAbdul Zahir (politician)Mohammad Nur Ahmad EtemadiAbdullah YaqtaMohammad Hashim MaiwandwalMohammad Yusuf (politician)Mohammad Daoud KhanShah Mahmud KhanAmanat LewanaMohammad Hashim KhanShir GiyanShir Ahmad

Notes

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  1. ^ Deputy Abdul Kabir carried out the duties of acting prime minister from 17 May 2023 to 17 July 2023 while Hasan Akhund was recovering from an illness.[1][2]
  1. ^ Pashto: د افغانستان د افغانستان د اسلامي امارت لومړی وزیر, romanized: Də Afġānistān Islāmī Imārat lomři ozīr; Dari: رئیس الوزرای امارت اسلامی افغانستان, romanized: Raʾīs al-ozrāi Imārat-i Islāmī-yi Afghānistān

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Mohammad Farshad Daryosh (17 May 2023). "Mawlawi Kabir Appointed Acting PM As Mullah Hassan Akhund is Ill: Mujahid". TOLOnews. Archived from the original on 24 May 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Adeeb, Fatema (9 September 2023). "Prime Minister's Absence From Meetings Raises Questions". TOLOnews. Archived from the original on 10 September 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  3. ^ Hakimi, Amina (5 December 2021). "Senior Officials' Salaries Reduced: MoF". TOLOnews. Archived from the original on 21 February 2022. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  4. ^ Kirby, Jen (13 September 2021). "What the Taliban's new government reveals about how they will rule". Vox. Archived from the original on 17 February 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  5. ^ Dawi, Akmal (28 March 2023). "Unseen Taliban Leader Wields Godlike Powers in Afghanistan". Voice of America. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  6. ^ "Taliban announce new government for Afghanistan". BBC News. 7 September 2021. Archived from the original on 7 September 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  7. ^ Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. Richard S. Newell (1997). Peter R. Blood (ed.). Afghanistan: A Country Study. Federal Research Division. The Constitutional Period, 1964-73.
  8. ^ Dugger, Celia W. (20 April 2001). "Muhammad Rabbani, Advocate of Some Moderation in Taliban". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 27 May 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
  9. ^ "AFGHAN LEADER QUITS; Uncle of the King Resigns as Prime Minister". The New York Times. 8 September 1953. Archived from the original on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  10. ^ "Afghan King Overthrown; A Republic Is Proclaimed". The New York Times. 18 July 1973. Archived from the original on 17 December 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  11. ^ "How Soviet troops stormed Kabul palace". BBC. 27 December 2009. Archived from the original on 31 December 2009. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  12. ^ "Afghan Fundamentalists Sweep Into Kabul". The New York Times. 27 September 1996. Archived from the original on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  13. ^ Celia W. Dugger (20 February 2001). "Muhammad Rabbani, Advocate Of Some Moderation in Taliban". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 27 May 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  14. ^ David S. Rohde with Dexter Filkins (13 November 2001). "Taliban Troops Abandon Capital Without a Fight". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  15. ^ "Security Council 1988 Committee Amends 105 Entries on Its Sanctions List | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". www.un.org. Archived from the original on 22 February 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  16. ^ Trofimov, Yaroslav (13 September 2021). "As Taliban Seek International Acceptance, Countries Seek to Engage—but Stop Short of Recognition". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  17. ^ Dawi, Akmal (20 December 2022). "Frustrated with the Taliban, US Officials Meet Anti-Taliban Figures". Voice of America. Archived from the original on 30 December 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022. The NRF has executed hit-and-run attacks against the Taliban in some parts of Afghanistan but has not been able to hold territory.
  18. ^ "Afghan Taliban appoint Mawlawi Abdul Kabir as new premier". The Express Tribune. 17 May 2023. Archived from the original on 17 May 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
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