Afghan Biographies

Rafat, Ahmad Zia Rifat Rifaat


Name Rafat, Ahmad Zia Rifat Rifaat
Ethnic backgr. Tajik
Date of birth 1966
Function/Grade IECC Electoral Complaints Commission 2010 Member
History and Biodata

Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) 2010:
Ahmad Zia Rafat is an Official of the ECC and Spokesman (20100803)

2. Previous Functions of Ahamad Ahmed Zia Rafat :
Union of Journalists Chairman 20030112,
IECC Electoral Complaints Commission 2010 Member and Spokesman,

3. Biodata:
rafat_ahmad_ziaAhmad Zia Rafat was born in 1966 in Herat. He was reading classical literature and writing poetry at the age of 15 and soon gained recognition in Afghan literary circles as a powerful committed poet and writer. Rafat opposed the presence of the Red Army in Afghanistan and went into exile in Iran for two years (1986-1987) He returned to Afghanistan and began producing poetry opposing the government. Three years later his first collection of poetry, Faryad-e-Nashanida, published by the Association of Writers of Afghanistan, won a literary award. While in exile, Rafat, along with other cultural activists, founded the Association of Afghan Cultural Activists, which he chaired, and in that capacity organised various cultural activities. Late in 1987, he was one of the founders of Shora-e-Motahed Meli. This foundation was established by independent thinkers, of whom Rafat was one, and encompassed 50 political parties and civil society organisations. Rafat was elected chairman for two successive periods.

In 1991 he became a student in the Faculty of Literature at Kabul University where he earned his Master’s degree. He represented a new literary generation and, first as the deputy and later as the president of the Herat Literary Society, could gather together the poets and writers of Herat. The situation then and during the Taliban regime was very bad and with the help of other scholars he created a developmental environment for young writers. With the advent of a new millennium and a new Afghan government in 2001, Rafat returned to the university, this time as a lecturer, in the Faculty of Literature. He also headed the publications department in the Ministry of Higher Education. Although Rafat supported the government at first, and was a member of the Constitutional Loya Jirga of 2003-2004, he became disillusioned and when in 2005 he resigned his position in the Ministry of Higher Education and began criticising the government, he became known as a critical commentator in the media.

Ahmad Zia Rafat is a professor and Lecturer at Kabul University and chief of the National Unity Council, a group of intellectuals, civil servants and lawmakers. Ahmad Zia Rafat of the union of Journalists steering committee is widely reported to be sympathiser, if not member, of the Jamiat-e-Islami party. Members of Jamiat control key government positions, the best known being defence minister Mohammad Qasim Fahim.

Attorney General Mohammad Eshaq Aloko suspended the electoral commissions' spokesmen. Ahmad Zia Rafat, of the IECC, and Noor Muhammad Noor, of the IEC, are accused of making remarks damaging to the Afghan national interest. (20101124) The Attorney-General’s Office has suspended the job of Ahmad Zai Rafat, who currently works as a teacher at Kabul University. Previously he was a member of the Election Complaints Commission.(20110426)

Two of Afghanistan’s most senior election officials have been suspended, hours before results were finally due to be released from the September 2014 poll. It is not clear why the attorney general acted against the spokesmen of the Independent Election Commission and Electoral Complaints Commission. A judge is expected to receive files on Wednesday Nov 24, 2014 on Nur Mohammad Nur, of the IEC, and Ahmad Zia Rafat, of the ECC.(201411124)

Last Modified 2014-11-28
Established 2010-05-17