Sarwar Danish
Muhammad Sarwar Danish (Dari: سرور دانش; born 1961) is an Afghan academic and politician in exile who was the second vice president of Afghanistan, from 2014 to 2021. He was previously the acting minister of justice from 2004 to 2010 and acting minister of higher education from 2010 to 2014. When Daykundi province was carved out of Urozgan province in 2004, Danish became its first governor.[1]
Muhammad Sarwar Danish | |
---|---|
سرور دانش | |
Second Vice President of Afghanistan | |
In office 29 September 2014 – 15 August 2021 | |
President | Ashraf Ghani |
Preceded by | Karim Khalili |
Succeeded by | Mullah Yaqoob (as Second Deputy Leader) |
Higher Education Minister of Afghanistan | |
In office 1 January 2010 – 29 September 2014 | |
President | Hamid Karzai |
Preceded by | Mohammad Azam Dadfar |
Succeeded by | Abdollah Obeid |
Justice Minister of Afghanistan | |
In office 23 December 2004 – 1 January 2010 | |
President | Hamid Karzai |
Preceded by | Abbas Karimi |
Succeeded by | Habibullah Ghaleb |
1st Governor of Daykundi | |
In office 28 March 2004 – 22 December 2004 | |
Succeeded by | Abdul Hai Neamati |
Personal details | |
Born | Muhammad Sarwar 1961 (age 61–62) Ishtarlay District, Afghanistan |
Political party | Hezbe Wahdat |
Residence(s) | Auckland, New Zealand |
Early years and education
Danish, the son of Muhammad Ali, was born in 1961 in the Ishtarlay District of Daykundi province in central Afghanistan. He belongs to the Hazara ethnic group. As a Shia Muslim, he completed his higher education in the holy Iranian city of Qom,[1] where he earned degrees in law, journalism and Islamic studies, receiving a master's degree in Fiqh. From 1982 until 2001, he wrote various publications, including 15 books and 700 academic essays. Along with Dari and Pashto, he also became fluent in the Arabic language.
Karzai administration
After the Taliban regime was ousted and the Karzai administration was formed, Danish was involved in the 2002 loya jirga. He was a member of the Constitutional Drafting Commission through a decree by President Hamid Karzai and as a participant in the Constitutional Loya Jirga.[1] Following Karzai's election as president in 2004, Danish became Justice Minister and renounced his membership to Hezbe Wahdat as per Constitutional law.[2]
Ghani administration
Under President Ashraf Ghani, Danish served as the second vice president in both terms, first with vice president Abdul Rashid Dostum[3] and then Amrullah Salehfollowing the 2019 elections.[4] In 2021 after Kabul fell to the Taliban, Danish and associates escaped the country and eventually stayed in Turkey. In December 2021 he was resettled in New Zealand.[5]
References
- "Latest rumours about still open ministries". Afghanistan Analysts Network - English (in Pashto). 2010-06-22. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
- "Afghan Report: December 30, 2004". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
- "Afghanistan: Warlords and Democracy". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
- independent, Associated Press The Associated Press is an; City, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York (2020-05-17). "Afghan president and rival announce power-sharing agreement". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
- "Anger at NZ government as Afghan ex-vice-president resettled while hundreds of others trapped". the Guardian. 2022-01-13. Retrieved 2023-01-17.