Afghan Biographies

Mullah Abdullah Sarhadi


Name Mullah Abdullah Sarhadi
Ethnic backgr. Pashtun
Date of birth
Function/Grade Provincial Governor Bamian Bamyan
History and Biodata

1. Former Provincial Governor Bamian Bamyan: 
Ali Yarzada, Mohammad Rahim Aliyar,
Mrs. Dr. Habiba Sorabi, (2005-20131012)
Gen. Ghulam Ali Wahdat (20131013-20150604)
Mohammad Tahir Zahir (20150521, 20160803, 20200405)
Syed Anwar Rahmati (2020051320210712)
Tahir Zaheer (20210713)
Mawlawi Abdullah Sarhadhi Abdullah Sarhadi (20211107)
Deputy Governor: 
Gen. Muhammad Nadar Fahimi (20100211),
Muhammad Asif Mubalegh Asif Mubaligh (20110605, 20120910, 20130405, 20140825)
Deputy governor for social affairs of Bamyan province:
Latifa Mohseni (20200130)

Bamyan governor’s spokesman:
Abdul Rahman Ahmadi  (20111121)

Public health director:
Timor Shah (20120718)
Sayedali Aqa Ayub Naser (20201216) arrested over charges of corruption and misuse of authority (20201217)

Head Department of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock:
Mohammad Tahir Atayee Ataee (20110322)

Provincial Department of Information and Culture Head Director:
Mohammad Ibrahim Akbari (20110531)
Kabir Dadras (20150208)
Mawlavi Usaf Rahman Mohammadi (20211227)

Natural Desaster's Department Head:
Mohammad Riza Rafat (20110824)

Education Director:
Mohammad Raza Ada Mohammad Reza (20111114, 20121011)
Mohammad Ayoub Arian head of education department (20190421)

Director of the environment protection agency:
Mohammad Sharif (20111121)

Provincial Women’s Affairs Department Director:
Mrs. Fatima Kazimi (20121219)
Director of the mines department in Bamyan:
Hamidullah Lali (20140316)

2. Previous Function:
Taliban´s regional Military Commander for Hazarajat (2016)
Provincial Governor Bamian Bamyan (20220416)

3. Biodata:
Mullah Abdullah Sarhadi, who took office as governor in November 2021, appears to have gone rogue after he heard a rumor that there was buried treasure hidden beneath the site. Locals reported that Sarhadi suddenly closed off the area surrounding the ruins in mid-January 2022 and ordered workers to look for treasure. When news reached the Taliban ministry of culture in Kabul, Sarhadi ignored orders to stop digging, stating that he was “in charge of Bamiyan.”

Hamid Naweed, Afghan art historian and former professor at Kabul University, whose work has involved in-depth research into the Bamiyan Buddhas told Artnet News that Sarhadi is looking for treasure like the Bactrian Gold Treasure, which was found in the tombs of Tillya Tepe, an archaeological site in northern Afghanistan when it was excavated in 1978.
Sarhadi is a Taliban hardliner and alleged war criminal. He served in senior positions during the 1996-2001 Taliban regime and was reportedly involved in early 2001 in a series of massacres at Bamiyan and in the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas. He was also reportedly held in Guantánamo for six years and released in 2012.

Last Modified 2022-10-08
Established 2021-09-02