Afghan Biographies

Rahmati, Syed Anwar Rahmat


Name Rahmati, Syed Anwar Rahmat
Ethnic backgr. Hazara
Date of birth 1959
Function/Grade Ex Governor
History and Biodata

2. Previous Functions of Sayed Anwar Rahmati
Member of the Constitutional Loya Jirga, Committee No. 2 (2003),
Chief of staff of Khalili, second vice president (2004 - 2010)
Governor Sar-i-Pol Sari Pul Sar-i-Pul Sar-e Pol Saripul Sarepol (20100525 -20120403)
Provincial Governor Ghor (20120827 - 20150627)
Provincial Governor Daikundi (20181122, 2020513)
Provincial Governor Bamian (20200513-20210712)

3. Biodata
Rahmati Syed AnwarSon of Sayyed Rahmat, Governor Ghor province Sayyed Anwar Rahmati is born in 1959 in Yakawlang district of Bamyan province. He studied his primary and middle school at his home district. Rahmati graduated from agriculture high school of Herat province in 1979. He could not pursue higher education because of Soviet forces onslaught on Afghanistan. He joined Jihad against soviet and served in various capacities in politics and army of Nasr's Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan. From 1985 to 1987, he was in charge of political issues pertaining to Yakawlang district of Bamyan province. However, from 1987 to 1989, he headed the Nasr’s party provincial wing. In 1988, following invitation by then Jihadi commanders of national council attended by more than 70 senior Jahadi commanders of Wahdat Party, he attended the gigantic gathering.

In 1991, he was selected as member of national council. He had the credit of serving in politics, military and public affairs.
From 1995 to 1997, he discharged his duties as a spokesperson of the party. After the collapse of Taliban regime, he returned to his country and established his weekly “Bahar and Mahr newspaper. He established the daily following extended cooperation by cultural activists.
He participated in Emergency Loya Jirga and constitutional Loya Jirga as a civil society representative of Bamyan and selected representative of Kabul.

From 2002, he worked as head of cultural organization Mahr society and director of Bahar weekly newspaper. Again from 2006, he discharged his duties at presidential office of the vice president for five years.

He served as governor of Sar-i-Pul province from 2010 till 2012. Since then, he serves as governor of Ghor province. Syed Anwar Rahmati was chief of staff of Khalili, second vice president until the day he was appointed as Governor. All the government officials, except the Hazara ethnics, closed down their offices in a protest against the governor and his deputy in Sar-i-Pul on Thursday (January 13, 2011). The governor of northern Sar-i-Pul province on 20110117 said organisers of a protest against him had links to militants and wanted to misuse government institutions. On 23 Jan 2011 again hundreds of people held a protest meeting in a mosque in Pul-i-Kheshti, the provincial capital, asking the central government to unseat Governor Syed Anwar Rahmati. He is accused of appointing his blue-eyed people to government positions and failing to improve the security situation. The provincial council head, Muhammad Arif Sharifi, also assailed the governor for ignoring people's interests. Rahmati accused a former executive director, Abdul Malik Azimi and the sitting deputy governor, Qamaruddin Shakib of involvement in arousing people against him. He said executive directors had been removed by the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG).
 

Hundreds of people on 20111211 rallied against the governor in northern Sar-i-Pul province, asking him to resign after his guard sexually abused a woman. The incident led the prosecutor's office to arrest the accused. Rahmati said abusing the women was his guard's personal matter. "I have no connection with the irahmati_sayed_anwarssue," the governor said. Hazara mobilisation against him particularly happened in Balkhab district which is dominated by Mohaqqeq’s Wahdat faction and was led by Sayyed Muhammad Hassan Sharifi, who has been elected into the Wolesi Jirga from there.(20120210)
 

During a visit to the northern province, a parliamentary delegation on 20120212 promised the replacement of the Sar-i-Pul· governor.

In Sari Pul Province there has been no transparency in the distribution of stipends to the families of martyrs and the disabled, Governor Syed Anwar Rahmati acknowledge. Some powerful individuals and government officials, using fake names, have been benefiting from stipends meant for families of martyrs and people with disabilities. (20120213)
 

Rahmati's secretary and guard, Mohammad Ali, was detained by police on the charge of opening fire at a crowd, deputy police chief Jahangir Khan said. A case against the detainee has been referred to the prosecutor office.(20120404)
 

Sayed Anwar Rahmati was officially introduced to the provincial officials of Ghor as the new Governor. (20120827)
 

Ghor Governor Syed Anwar Rahmati escaped unhurt in a bomb explosion in Chaghcharan, the provincial capital. (20121004)
 

Hundreds of people in western Ghor on Tuesday 04, Nov 2014 protested against their governor. The protestors in Ghor chanted slogans against the governor and accused him of grabbing state-owned land. It is said that Governor Syed Anwar Rahmati had assumed office two years ago but had not been able to do something benefiting residents. The security situation deteriorated during Rahmati’s tenure. People were calling for the acting governor to be removed and replaced with a competent individual. (20141104)

 

Documents leaked to media outlets show the governor of central Daikundi province Sayed Ahmad Rahmati has embezzled around 23 million Afghanis from the governmental budget. The documents show that Mr. Rahmati received 1.8 million Afghanis each month in his personal account, starting from December of 2018 to January of 2019. However, Rahmati has rejected the embezzlement of the funds while admitting that he was receiving the funds directly in his personal account. (20200224)

 

Last Modified 2021-07-13
Established 2009-10-11