Afghan Biographies

Mullah Abdullah Sarhadi


Name Mullah Abdullah Sarhadi
Ethnic backgr. Tajik
Date of birth
Function/Grade Provincial Governor Jawzjan
History and Biodata

1. Former Provincial Governor of Jowzjan:
Ahmad Khan Ishchi
Roz Mohammad Nur (2004)
Joma Khan Hamdard (20070528),
Mohammad Hashim Zare Hashem Zahre Zaray (2008 - 2010),
Mohammed Aleem Sayee Mohammad Alam Sai (20100509, 20130624)
Abdul Rahman Mahmoodi acting governor (20130624)
Alhaj Baymorad Qoyunly, Bai Murad (20130700)
Maulvi Lutfullah Azizi Jawzjan (20150701, 20170207)
Abdulhai Hayat, Dr. Abdullah appointed "acting governor" (20200223)
Mohammad Hashim Raees (20210106)
Damla Shoaib Resalat Shoaib Risalat (20211107, 20220316)
Gul Haidar Shafiq (20230504, 20260101)

Mullah Abdullah Sarhadi, former governor of Bamyan, appointed governor of Jawzjan (20260102)
 

Deputy Governor:
Mohhamad Karim Azimi (2004)
Faqir Mohammed Jowzjani Fakir Muhammad Jawzjani (2008, 20100726, 20111017)
Eng. Abdur Rahman Mahmoodi  Abdurahman Mahmudi Abdul Rahman Mahmoudi Eng. Abdur Rahman Mahmodi (20130122, 20141217, 20171105)
Abdul Qader Abdul Qader Malia deputy governor of Jawzjan (20200520, 20210806)
Abdul Manan Mahmood (20211107)
Mawlawi Nuruddin Umair (Uzbek) . Despite his removal from the province, Mawlawi Nuruddin has not completely relinquished his role as a reference point for the Takhari Uzbeks.
Deputy Governor of Jawzjan province, Mawlavi Gul Mohammad Salim (20230319)
Qari Mohammad Nasim Izat, former commander of the second brigade of the 205 Al-Badr Corps, appointed deputy governor of Jawzjan province (20250902)

Spokesperson:
Reza Ghafori Mohammad Raza Ghafoori (20170215, 20171129)

Public health director:
Dr. Rahmatullah Haidari was caught red handed receiving 10,000 afghanis ($200) from a Shiberghan resident in return for a pharmacy licence. The governor Sayee claimed that he was forced 2011 into endorsing Haidari’s appointment by some Wolesi Jirga members, public health ministry officials and the provincial council head.(20120805)
Dr Harun (20210613)

Director of the Media Department of Haj and Islamic Affairs:
Maulvi Wali Mohammd Shibani (20110328)

Director Department of Information and Culture:
Azimullah Rahmaneyar (20110330)
Helal Balkhi (20220102)

Director Education Department:
Mohammed Ismael Mushfiq, Press Official and Nawa-e-Kushar Newspaper Editor (20110330)
Abdul Hai Yasheen (20171009)

Director Rural Rehabilitation and Development:
Eng. Mahyar Siddiqui (20110418)
Eng. Mohammad Yusuf Sayed (20110629)

Director revenue department:
Mohammad Rassoul Anwari (20111001)

Provincial Women's Affairs Director:
Najiba Qurishi (20111016)

Traffic Department chief:
Col. Mohammad Ikram Elyar (20111122)
Director Department of Irrigation:
Ghulam Sakhi Amini (2012)
Director Department of Agriculture:
Eng. Abdul (Rashid)
Director of Urban Development:
Eng. Hussain (2012)
Director ANDMA:
Eng Azizulrahman Aimaq (2012)
Director ARSC:
Abdul Ghafar (2012)
AIHRC Chief for Jawzjan and Sar-i-Pul Provinces:
Mrs. Maghfirait Samimi (20130413)

 

Dr. Abdullah Abdullah's Stability and Partnership team appointed Abdul Hai Hayat, a provincial council member of Jawzjan province as the governor of the province on February 23, 2020 while the government’s governor for the province, Lutfullah Azizi, also continues his job.

Some sources say Azizi is currently in capital Kabul.

Bashir Ahmad Tayanj, spokesman of Junbish-i-Islami Afghanistan, said that Hayat was in the guest house of the political party.

Some government organs in Jawzjan say Hayat’s orders are not valid in local departments.(20200310)
 

2. Previous Function:
Taliban´s regional Military Commander for Hazarajat (2016)
Provincial Governor Bamian Bamyan (20220416, 20260101)
Governor of Jawzjan (20260102)

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 2026-01-02
Established 2023-05-04