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Afghanistan: A group called Shorq-e-Mushraqi, headed by Haji Abdul Qadir

The following information on the Shorq-e-Mushraqi (Mashreqi Shura [Eastern Council], Shura-yi Mashriqi [Council of the East]) was provided by Barnett R. Rubin in testimony before the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on 8 October 1998. Barnett R. Rubin is the Director of the Center for Preventive Action, a Senior Fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, and a noted specialist on Afghanistan.

[The] Shura-yi Mashriqi … faction regroups some former leaders of the shura of Jalalabad, notably Haji Abdul Qadir [Qadeer]. Former Governor [of Nangarhar province] Abdul Qadir reportedly made millions of dollars through smuggling consumer goods from Dubai to Pakistan and involvement in the drug trade, of which his province was one of the centers. Some small groups in the East are still said to be loyal to this group. Like Hikmatyar [leader of the Hizb-i Islami-yi Afghanistan], he is Pashtun, and his presence [in the United Front] serves to show that the northerners aspire to a genuinely national identity.

As indicated above, at the time of Rubin's appearance before the Senate foreign relations committee the Shura-yi Mashriqi was a member of the National Islamic United Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan (Jabha-yi Muttahid-i Islami-yi Milli bara-yi Nijat-i Afghanistan), a "nominal alliance [of] … groups arrayed against the Taliban" (ibid.; Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran 21 June 1997). Rubin stated that although the United Front's membership varied from time to time, there were at least six other member groups (8 Oct. 1998). According to Rubin the "'United Front' functioned, and rather poorly, mainly as a framework for negotiating with the Taliban. It did not have joint political or administrative functions in the areas under these groups' control" (ibid.). The United Front was considered to be active as of late 1998 (Jane's IntelWeb 23 Nov. 1998).

Sources indicate that in early 1997 Haji Adul Qadir and the Shura-yi Mashriqi's vice-chairman, Haji Zaman Ghamsharik, were ordered expelled from Pakistan by the government of Pakistan, which backed the Taliban (Radio Afghanistan 17 May 1997; Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran 28 July 1997). A report from Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran states that while both men were ordered to leave Pakistan at the same time, Haji Zaman Ghamsharik's departure was delayed because of visa problems (ibid.) On 28 July 1997 Haji Zaman Ghamsharik reportedly left Peshawar for Dubai, and from there was scheduled to fly to Germany to join Haji Adul Qadir (ibid.).

On 12 January 1999, the wife, son and an employee of Haji Adul Qadir's brother, Abdul Haq, were murdered by unidentified attackers in Peshawar (The Herald Mar. 1999, 62; Dawn 13 Jan. 1999). The attack was described as the latest in a string of attacks in Peshawar since October 1998 in which at least seven prominent Afghan politicians and intellectuals were killed, and many others wounded The Herald Mar. 1999, 62). All of the victims were described as "ethnic Pashtuns with moderate leanings and a strong anti-Taliban bias" (ibid.).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Dawn [Karachi]. 13 January 1999. "Former Afghan Governor's Relatives Murdered." <http://dawn.com/> [Accessed 13 Jan. 1999]

The Herald [Karachi]. March 1999. Vol. 30, No. 3. Rizwan Qureshi. "The Afghan War Visits Peshawar."

Jane's IntelWeb [Last updated 23 November 1998]. "Terrorist and Insurgency Groups." <http://intelweb.janes.com/resource/Groups_table.htm> [Accessed 2 Sept. 1999]

Radio Afghanistan [in Dari]. 17 May 1997. "Opposition Forces Foil Taleban Attack in Konar Province." (BBC Summary 19 May 1997/NEXIS)

Rubin, Barnett R. 8 October 1998. "Recent Events and Political Actors in Afghanistan." Statement given to the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. [Internet] <http://soros.org> [Accessed 31 Mar. 1999]

Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran External Service [Tehran, in Pashto]. 18 October 1997. "Iranian Radio Reports Taleban Leader's Agreement to Hold Talks." (BBC Summary 20 Oct. 1997/NEXIS)

_____. 28 July 1997. "Pakistan Expels Taleban Opponent." (BBC Summary 1 Aug. 1997/NEXIS)

_____. 21 June 1997. "Anti-Taleban Forces Reportedly Continue Advances North of Kabul." (BBC Summary 23 June 1997/NEXIS)