Mohammad Gul Khan Momand

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Mohammad Gul Khan Momand
BornJanuary 17, 1885
Andrabayo,
Military service, Leadership, Pashtunwali

Mohammad Gul Khan Momand (17, 1885 – 18, 1964), was both a literary figure and a politician in Afghanistan. He also served as an

Army Officer during Afghanistan's Independence war in 1919. He served numerous Government and Leadership positions including Home Minister of Afghanistan
.

Early life and education

Wazir Mohammad Gul Khan Momand was born in Andrabayo, Kabul Province to a Mohmand Pashtun family. His father was Khurshid Khan, while his grandfather was Momen Khan who served in the Afghan Army during the rule of King Abdur Rahman Khan. His great grandfather, Abdul Kareem, also served in the Afghan Army during the reign of King Dost Mohammad Khan. Mohammad Gul Khan attended Habibia High School, and later went on to Turkey for higher education. After completing his primary and secondary studies, Mohammad Gul Khan entered the military school in 1909. Apart from Pashto and Dari, Mohammad Gul Khan spoke the Turkish and Russian languages.[1]

Political and military career

Soon after completing the military school, Gul Khan Momand joined the Royal Guards and became a Unit Commander and an instructor for some units. After serving as the principal of the Military School, he later became deputy commander-in-chief and then commander of the Royal Guards.

In 1919 during Afghanistan's struggle for Independence, Mohammad Gul Khan was a member of the delegation, which visited Europe to announce the sovereignty of Afghanistan under King

Nangarhar, Balkh under King Amanullah Khan
.

In 1929, the government of King

Mohammed Nadir Shah.[4]

Later in his career, Mohammad Gul Khan served numerous position as

Special Envoy throughout Afghanistan. Under his leadership numerous road, bridges, agricultural, schools, and other infrastructure projects were successfully completed. The stories of Mohammad Gul Khan's service to Afghanistan is common talking points in Afghan
households.

Pashtun/Afghan Nationalism

Mohammad Gul Khan was a strong advocate of the purification of the Pashto language. His literary work mainly deals with Pashto language. He wrote several books and compiled a Pashto dictionary called "De Pakhtu Sind". His other work include "De Pukhtu De Zabe Lyara" (on Pashto grammar) and another book entitled "De Pashto Landakai". His letter to Abdul Rauf Benawa regarding the importance of language for the nation and the responsibilities of writers and leaders towards their language was published in a fifty-three page essay by Pashto Tolana (Pashto Gathering), in Kabul. "This essay counts all the virtues of human life in relation to Pashto and Pashtunwali." (Hamish Khalil, 1995).[5]

Mohammad Gul Khan has served his whole career to defend the

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and part of Balochistan
.

According to his defenders, Mohammad Gul Khan was fair and just with other ethnic minorities in Afghanistan. Author Nancy Tapper in her book "Bartered Brides" describes Mohammad Gul Khan as, "Despite fiercely pro-Pashtun sentiments, Muhammad Gul Khan refused to countenance the oppression perpetuated by the Khans. He balanced the domination of Durrani from Kandahar by introducing many more eastern Pashtuns to the area (especially as landowners between Aqcha and Balkh), and he appears to have dealt fairly with petitions against the Nazarzai brought by Uzbeks and Aymaks from throughout the Saripul region and its hinterland." p. 34.[6][7] According to his detractors, Mohmand enforced a central government policy of political and cultural discrimination against non-Pashtuns.

Pashto.[10] Regardless of his actual character, he is associated with oppression and disenfranchisement among the non-Pashtuns of northern Afghanistan.[7][8]

Death

Gul Khan Momand died on August 18, 1964, at the age of 79. His funeral was attended by the then

Zahir Shah.[11]

He was buried in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Further reading

  • Da Mummad Gul Khan Momand Annd ao Zwand ta yawa Kathana – written by Mohammad Ismail Yoon – 1994
  • Mohammad Gul Khan Momand – written by Hamish Khalil – 1995
  • Loy Afghan – written by Syed Sabir Shah – 1998

External links

References

  1. ^ "Muhammad Gul Khan Mohmand". khyber.org. Archived from the original on September 16, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ "Āp" is Oldpersian "Āb" is Newpersian and "Āv" or au" is Middle Persian or Pahlevi or Pehlevi and Oba is Pashtu; aua is Kurdish, "aqua" (latin) au is German like Donau, Mainau und in Afghanistan Nijrau, Tagau, Balkhau or Balkhab
  3. ISBN 9781136603174
    .
  4. ^ "Pashtoonkhwa:pashtoons social democratic party د پښتنو ټولنيز ولسوليز ګوند پښتونخوا/ افغانستان".
  5. ^ "Mohammad Gul Khan Momand". afghanland.com. Archived from the original on July 2, 2013.
  6. ISBN 0-521-38158-4
    . "Despite fiercely pro-Pashtun sentiments, Muhammad Gul Khan refused to countenance the oppression perpetuated by the Khans. He balanced the domination of Durrani from Kandahar by introducing many more eastern Pashtuns to the area (especially as landowners between Aqcha and Balkh), and he appears to have dealt fairly with petitions against the Nazarzai brought by Uzbeks and Aymaks from throughout the Saripul region and its hinterland." p. 34
  7. ^
    ISBN 9781555848231
    .
  8. ^
    ISBN 90-04-12593-0
    . p. 87
  9. ^ Hamayoun Baha's article on the Pashtunist policies during Nadir and Zahir Shah's rule
  10. ISBN 0-19-503067-2
    .
  11. ^ "Hewad.com - Afghanistan - Our Mission". www.hewad.com. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
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