A Brief Overview on the Life of the Warlord of Herat “Continued”:
From the very beginning of the establishment of the Republican regime, warlords who had initially set the goal of establishing an Islamic system in their struggle against the Soviet Union began to compete with each other for a share in a government that was completely at odds with Islam and its pure Sharia, selling everything in their path to reach a higher position and rank.
Ismail Khan, after the fall of the Taliban regime, took the seat of the Herat province with full support from the American occupiers and by complying with their requests and orders, remaining in this position until 1383 (2004).
During the time that Ismail Khan ruled over Herat, this city and its Mujahid people witnessed bitter events and incidents; events that we will elaborate on in detail in the upcoming sections of this series.
Ismail Khan’s insatiable greed and ambition had led him to establish a semi-independent government in Herat, known as the “General Emirate of the Southwest Region.” He not only exerted influence over Herat but also over neighboring provinces such as Badghis, Ghor, Farah, and Nimroz, interfering in the appointment and dismissal of local officials.
Ismail Khan, with this selfishness, isolated the city of Herat and, for his personal interests, had numerous conflicts with the central government, especially with Hamid Karzai, and in a way, he independently took control of Herat’s military and financial matters.
Finally, the control of Ismail Khan over the sky of Herat came to an end due to pressure from the West and the central government of that time. The government convinced him to leave the provincial governor’s office by offering him a higher position, namely the Ministry of Energy and Water, and called him to the center.
During the time Ismail Khan was the Minister of Energy and Water, as expected, instead of serving the people and his country, he acted in favor of foreigners and took orders from the West or some neighboring countries.
Ismail Khan served as the Minister of Energy and Water during two terms of Karzai’s presidency for a total of nine years; however, this role was more symbolic, and he lost his previous influence.
In 1393 (2013), when Sayyaf, another warlord who had gone from the name and reputation of religion to serving the West, nominated himself for the 2014 presidential election and was in a power struggle, Ismail Khan, in the hope of obtaining a higher position and more plunder, joined Sayyaf’s electoral team as the first vice president.
But since the American occupiers did not have enough trust in their slaves, the presidential chair did not reach them either, and all their plans were thwarted.
In the following years, Ismail Khan’s role diminished compared to before, and he continued his political activities as a self-proclaimed jihadist leader and a member of the Jamiat-e Islami Party, but he remained mostly in the periphery, and his influence was limited to Herat.
To be continued…
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