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Afghan President Chooses Tajik Leader as New Deputy Afghan President Chooses Tajik Leader as New Deputy
(about 3 hours later)
KABUL, Afghanistan — President Hamid Karzai nominated a former interior minister on Tuesday to serve as one of his two vice presidents for the final months of his presidency, filling an office that was left vacant by the death of Vice President Muhammad Qasim Fahim last week. KABUL, Afghanistan — Moving to preserve the political and ethnic balance at the top of his government, President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday nominated a prominent former Northern Alliance figure to fill the vice-presidential post left vacant by the death of Muhammad Qasim Fahim last week.
In naming Yunus Qanooni, who served as interior minister in the interim government set up after the fall of the Taliban, Mr. Karzai preserved the political and ethnic balance at the top of his government. Mr. Qanooni, like his predecessor, is an ethnic Tajik who rose to prominence through the old Northern Alliance, a now defunct coalition of militias that resisted the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in the 1990s. The nominee, Yunus Qanooni, is — like his predecessor — an ethnic Tajik who rose to prominence through the old Northern Alliance that resisted the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in the 1990s. Mr. Qanooni served as interior minister after the ouster of the Taliban government in 2001, and was widely seen as a political rival of Mr. Karzai.
But there was little expectation that Mr. Qanooni could fill the void left by Mr. Fahim, who was among the most feared power brokers in northern Afghanistan before he died of a heart attack on March 9. Mr. Karzai and American and European officials had been counting on Mr. Fahim to help avert a political crisis if, as many here expect, a candidate from the majority ethnic group, the Pashtuns, wins next month’s presidential elections. But there was little expectation that Mr. Qanooni could fill the void left by Mr. Fahim, who was among the country’s most powerful and influential figures before he died of a heart attack on March 9. Mr. Karzai and American and European officials had been counting on Mr. Fahim to help avert a political crisis if, as many here expect, a candidate from Afghanistan’s largest ethnic group, the Pashtuns, wins next month’s presidential elections.
Mr. Karzai, who is legally barred from running for a third term, decided to nominate Mr. Qanooni after consulting with politicians from northern Afghanistan, where Tajiks dominate, and other parts of the country, said Aimal Faizi, a spokesman for the president. He also sought advice from “jihadi leaders,” a term used in Afghanistan to describe the old guard of mujahedeen warlords and commanders who led the fight against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s. That role — rounding up northern acceptance of the central government — would now in theory fall to Mr. Qanooni. But he also lacks some of the stature commanded by the late vice president among Afghan Tajiks.
Mr. Qanooni’s nomination is subject to approval by Parliament. Mr. Qanooni was less senior than Mr. Fahim, who took command of the Northern Alliance after its founder, Ahmad Shah Masood, was slain by assassins from Al Qaeda two days before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
Though Mr. Qanooni is a prominent northern politician, he does not have the same standing among Tajiks that was enjoyed by Mr. Fahim. Mr. Fahim was one of the Northern Alliance’s top military leaders and he took command of the coalition after its founder, Ahmad Shah Masood, was slain by assassins from Al Qaeda two days before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. In the years that followed, Mr. Fahim’s fearsome reputation — and the fact that it had been forged in battle against the Taliban — allowed him to muster support for the government among even the most recalcitrant Tajiks, many of who have resented playing what they consider a secondary role to Pashtuns.
Mr. Fahim used that role to lay the foundations of a vast patronage network that would secure his place among Afghanistan’s political elite and enrich his family, despite widespread allegations of corruption and human rights abuses. Mr. Fahim also commanded loyalty from elements in the army and intelligence service, and he was not afraid to use them when mere persuasion failed, according to Afghan officials. Mr. Qanooni has few similar connections.
But he also made the early decision that Tajiks needed to find a way to work with the more numerous Pashtuns, and he provided a crucial boost to Mr. Karzai’s bid in 2002 to lead the interim government that was being put in place by the United States and its allies. Though many in Afghanistan’s elite often go out of their way to publicly play down the role of ethnicity in Afghan politics, Mr. Karzai, who is Pashtun, has intentionally sought to keep divisions in check by nominating Tajiks for the No. 2 spot in his government, said Aimal Faizi, the president’s spokesman.
In the years to follow, Mr. Fahim’s fearsome reputation — and the fact that it had been forged in battle against the Taliban — allowed him to muster support for the government among even the most recalcitrant Tajiks.
Mr. Qanooni comes with less of the baggage that Mr. Fahim brought, but he lacks the late vice president’s stature. Though Mr. Qanooni was also part of the Northern Alliance, he was less senior than Mr. Fahim and was not a key part of its military leadership. He is far less likely to have the authority among northern power brokers that Mr. Fahim enjoyed. And he does not have the same muscle that the late vice president could still bring to bear when more persuasion did not suffice.
If his nomination is approved, Mr. Qanooni would be the third Tajik with roots in the Northern Alliance to serve as the first vice president under Mr. Karzai, who is Pashtun.
Mr. Qanooni had no immediate comment on his nomination.
Though many in Afghanistan’s elite often go out of their way to publicly play down the role of ethnicity in Afghan politics, Mr. Karzai has intentionally sought to keep divisions in check by nominating Tajiks for the No. 2 spot in his government, said Mr. Faizi, the presidential spokesman.
“He’s aware that the government needs to be a representative government of all of Afghanistan,” Mr. Faizi said in an interview this week.“He’s aware that the government needs to be a representative government of all of Afghanistan,” Mr. Faizi said in an interview this week.
The other serious contender for the vacancy was Bismillah Khan Mohammadi, the current defense minister, Mr. Faizi said. Mr. Mohammadi is also a northern Tajik and he had commanded Northern Alliance troops against the Taliban. Mr. Karzai decided to nominate Mr. Qanooni after consulting with politicians from northern Afghanistan, where Tajiks dominate, and other parts of the country, Mr. Faizi said. He also sought advice from “jihadi leaders,” a term used in Afghanistan to describe the old guard of mujahedeen warlords and commanders who led the fight against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s.
During Mr. Karzai’s first term, the fist vice president was Ahmed Zia Masood, the brother of the assassinated founder of the Northern Alliance. Mr. Karzai then chose Mr. Fahim as his running mate in 2009, when he was re-elected. Mr. Qanooni’s nomination is subject to approval by Parliament. He had no immediate comment on his nomination.
Mr. Faizi said that it would be up to Afghans to decide whether to continue the trend of having a Pashtun president and a Tajik first vice president. The other serious contender for the short-term vacancy was Bismillah Khan Mohammadi, the current defense minister, Mr. Faizi said. Mr. Mohammadi is also a northern Tajik and he had commanded Northern Alliance troops against the Taliban.
Of the three leading contenders for the presidency, two are Pashtuns whose running mates are Tajik. The third, Abdullah Abdullah, the country’s main opposition politician, is half Tajik and is closely associated with the Northern Alliance. His first running mate is a Pashtun. Mr. Karzai is legally barred from running for a third term. Of the three leading contenders for the presidency, two are Pashtuns, one whose primary running mate is a Tajik and another whose running mate is an ethnic Uzbek. The third, Abdullah Abdullah, the country’s main opposition politician, is half Tajik and is closely associated with the Northern Alliance. His chief running mate is a Pashtun.
The Taliban have made clear that they intend to violently disrupt the presidential election, scheduled for April 5. On Tuesday morning, a suicide bombing in northern Afghanistan that killed 16 people reinforced fears that more attacks were on the way.
Though the Taliban did not immediately take credit for the attack in Faryab Province, on Afghanistan’s northwest border with Turkmenistan, officials there said suggested that the bombing had been meant to sow fear before the election.
The bomb was packed into a rickshaw, and it was set off in a crowded bazaar in Maimana, the provincial capital.
“We believe today’s bombing was part of efforts to scare people,” said Naqibullah Fayeq, a member of Parliament from Faryab.
But Toryali Abdeyali, Faryab’s police chief, said there were indications that the intended target had been a nearby provincial headquarters for the police, who are frequently targeted by insurgents.
He said that a passport and a letter asking for an extension to the document’s validity had been found in the attacker’s pocket. “The letter was addressed to police authorities,” he added.