Afghan Biographies

Naseri, Alhaj Muhammad Ashraf Nasiri Nasery


Name Naseri, Alhaj Muhammad Ashraf Nasiri Nasery
Ethnic backgr. Pashtun
Date of birth 1962
Function/Grade Ex Governor
History and Biodata

2. Previous Functions of Mohammad Muhammad Ashraf Naseri Nasiri Nasery Nazeri:
Geography Teacher in Dawat aw Jahad University in Peshawar,
Employee of UN Office on Project Services (UNOPS),
Employee of the UN Development Program (UNDP),
Advisor Minister for Refugees and Repatriation (under Azam Dafar),
Policy committee director of the Counter narcotics Ministry,
Presidential advisor,
Governor Paktia,
Governor Badghis
Governor Zabul (20150604)

3. Biodata:
naseri_mohammad-ashrafSon of Haji Abdullah Khan, Mohammad Ashraf Nasiri was born in Sayed Karam district of southeastern Paktia province in 1962.
He completed his primary education in his hometown. Zabul’s governor, Mohammed Ashraf Naseri went to Baba Hotak High School in Shinkaye, where many members of his subtribe live. He speaks English and the Americans here rate him as competent. He has bachelor degree from the sciences faculty of Kabul Universtiy. He served as a lecturer at Daud and Jihad varsity during the war against soviet occupation.
He worked in various international organizations inside the country. Nasiri served as adviser at the ministry of refuges and repatriation, member of policy committee at the ministry of counternarcotics, advisor to President Hamid Karzai as well as governors of Paktia and Badghis provinces.
Nasiri discharges his duties as governor of Zabul province since 2009. Earlier, he had affiliation with the Itehad-i-Islami party led by Prof. Abdul Rab Rassoul Sayaf. He speaks Pashtu, Dari, English and Arabic languages.

Mohammad Ashraf Naseri replaced longtime Zabul governor Delbar Jan Arman Shinwari in late March, 2009. An ethnic Kuchi Pashtun from Paktia Province, Naseri separated from the Ittihad-e Islami under Abdul Rasul Sayyaf in 1992 or 1993 and is now politically unaffiliated. He has a BA in science from Kabul University. He reportedly has a good reputation in Paktia, and Wolesi Jirga members from Badghis Province were positive about his role during his tenure as governor. Naseri has survived two close calls with bombings, and much of his work in Zabul Province takes place in an office adjoined to a U.S. base.

But some U.S. officials think Naseri is not as popular as a Taliban leader who calls himself the shadow governor.

Wolesi Jirga Member Qalatwal briefed the MPs on his recent visit to Zabul Province where the governor and mayor are alleged to have illegally sold government land. “When I attempted to investigate the issue, both the mayor and the governor told me that the land was being sold on the president’s order. The mayor went as far as pointing his pistol on me threatening to kill me in the governor’s house.”(20120727)

Naseri has escaped an attempt on his life unscathed when a car bomb targeted his convoy. The car bomb took place at around 11 a.m. local time (0630 GMT) on 20130406 when a bomber detonated his explosive-rigged vehicle near a hospital in the provincial capital Qalat, as Mohammad Ashraf Naseri’s convoy was heading to the Sheikh Mati School.

Last Modified 2015-06-07
Established 2009-10-11