Mahmood Tarzi: Independence of Afghanistan

By Dr. M. Halim Tanwir

Compelling, provocative and informative, Mahmood Tarzi
Diplomacy and Journalism is an eclectic set of events, media
happenings, and political developments in Afghanistan from the
rise of the power of Amir Abdul Rahman Khan to the downfall of the reign
of Amanullah Khan. Written by Dr. M. Halim Tanwir, this political and
historical page-turner takes readers to the period where the press and the
particularly famous character Mahmood Tarzi, the founder of journalism
and diplomacy in Afghanistan, played a fundamental role.
Highlighting how the press essentially contributed to the growth, transition
and development of the Afghan nation in terms of investment value,
intellectual input, constitutional law and freedom of expression, this
compelling read shares the pioneering stages of how the Afghan society was
honed by the medias interventions. Relieving Afghanistan from stagnation
and serving as a catalyst for positive change, the press has greatly caused
an exhilarating form of freedom and vitality to the Afghan people despite
losses to British, Russians and Persians. Still the nation was able to obtain
its independence.
In this book, Dr. Tanwir wrote briefl y the contemporary Afghan history in
fi ve volumes. He also described the role of public communication media
in national and international policies in Afghanistan. With a myriad of
informative and educational insights that will stir a sense of continuing hope
to the Afghan nation and serve as a social study tool for many politicians,
leaders, historians, professors, academics and students, Mahmood Tarzi
Diplomacy and Journalism is defi nitely a note-worthy book that reveals
an eye-opening set of knowledge about the nation of Afghanistan.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris UK
• Release date: Feb 13, 2012
• ISBN: 9781469146706

Dr. M. Halim Tanwir

Dr. M. Halim Tanwir was born on October 21, 1952 in Kabul. He finished his secondary education at Habibia High School (1973). Then he studied B.A. Journalism in Kabul University (1974-1977). He attained his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Payam Noor University Tehran (1993-1997). In 1979 (March-June), he was fellowship TV director programmer of Radio-TV of Sofia in Bulgaria. From 1995 to 2003, he was Director of Research & Reconstruction Institute of Afghanistan, NL. He was also PR (public relation) Co-operator in Library of Almere, External Adviser in Desk Afghanistan, IND (Immigration & Naturalization Affair). In September 2006, he became Media Adviser & Director of International Press Center IPC, Ministry of Information & Culture in Kabul, Afghanistan. In July to October, 2004 and in October 2008, he was Afghanistan Presidential candidate for October 2004 election in Kabul. He was injured and survived a suicide bomb in his office in Kabul in October 2007. Dr. Tanwir is a prolific writer. Overall, he has written 26 books in various languages: Dari, Pashtu, Arabic and English. He emigrated in May 1982 from Afghanistan to The Netherlands.

Book preview

Copyright © 2012 by Dr. M. Halim Tanwir.

Library of Congress Control Number:       2012900245

ISBN:         Hardcover                               978-1-4691-4669-0

                   Softcover                                 978-1-4691-4668-3

                   Ebook                                      978-1-4691-4670-6

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

0-800-644-6988

www.xlibrispublishing.co.uk

[e-mail]

302998

CONTENTS

Preface

Editorial About The Afghan Press And Mahmood Tarzi

Reign Of Abdul Rahman Khan

Political Way Of Abdul Rahman Khan

Deceit With Ayub Khan

Inclination To The British Conditions

Negligence To The Russians

Suppression Of Leaderships Of Resistance

Weak Position Against Iran

Only Attention To Mohammadzai Dynasty

Strangulation Of Press

Death Of Abdul Rahman Khan

Ghulam Mohammad Tarzi

Monarchy Of Amir Habibullah Khan

Rehabilitation Of Amir Habibullah Khan

Political Way Of Amir Habibullah Khan

Secret Lines Of King With Britain And Russian

Suppression Of Constitutionalists And Parliament

Revival Of Press

Mahmood Tarzi

Founder Of Journalism In Afghanistan

Biography

Writings Of Mahmood Tarzi

Serajul Akhbar (The Light Of Torch)

Maulawi Abdul Rauf

Mohammad Sarwar Wasif

Maulawi Najfali

Sarajul Atfal (The Light Of Children)

Habibullah Assassinated

Indexes And References

Kingdom Of Amanullah Khan

The Historical Period Of Independence Of Afghanistan

Amanullah Khan Activities

Declaration Of Truce With English

Agreement Of Rawolpandi

Friendly Relations With Russia

Imposing Of Hasty (Impetuous) Programs

Uprising Of People Against Amanullah

Journalism In The Tenure Of Amanullah Khan

The First Law Of Press In Afghanistan

Department (Directorate) Of Free Press

Afghanistan Radio

Newspaper And Publication Of State In Tenure Of Amanullah

Publications Of Afghanistan Provinces

Special Publications Of Tenure Of Amanullah

Free Publication Of Tenure Of Amanullah

Journalists Of Amani Tenure

Mohaiudin Anis

Anis The First Proscription Of Newspaper

Joya/Sarwar

Khogiani/Mohammad Amin

Dawi/Abdul Hadi

Ghobar/Mir Ghulam Mohammad

Kushkakki/Burhanuddin

Luddin/Abdul Rahman

Mohammad Husain

Hotak/Saleh Mohammad

Tenure Of Reign Of Habibullah

References Of Part III

THE NAME OF GOD

PREFACE

The book of Mahmood Tarzi is a set of events, media events, and political developments in Afghanistan, from the rise of the power of Amir Abdul Rahman Khan to downfall of the reign of Amanullah Khan. In this period, the press and particularly famous character like Mahmood Tarzi (the founder of journalism and diplomacy in Afghanistan) played fundamental role in Afghanistan, and the press have investment value and intellectuals and constitutional law and free press and government press release as a positive change in Afghan society is not only the press and field work but as a valuable exhilaration of freedom and vitality to the Afghan people caused victory of second afghan-Britain at War, Afghanistan despite lost a great part of their land by the British, Russians and was Persians, Afghanistan still able to Independence obtained.

I have written briefly the contemporary Afghan history in five volumes. I also described the role of public communication media in national and international policies in Afghanistan. It consists of five books:

1—The Empire of Afghanistan (from the reign of Ahmad Shah Abdali till the beginning of reign of Amir Mohammad Khan)

2—Jamal-al-Din Afghani (from the reign of Dost Mohammad till the reign of Abdul Rahman Khan)

3—Mahmood Tarzi (from the reign of Abdul Rahman Khan till the collapse of Amanullah Khan)

4—Mohammad Daoud Khan (from Mohammad Nader Shah’s, Zahir Shah and Daoud republic reigns till Communist coup 7 Sawr)

5—Hekmatyar and the Islamic Movement of Afghanistan (the period when Communist regimes till Mujahedeen and Taliban regimes and invasion of Use alliance in Afghanistan and, Hamid Karzai end)

To wish peace and justice in Afghanistan.

Dr Halim Tanwir

EDITORIAL ABOUT THE

AFGHAN PRESS AND

MAHMOOD TARZI

The journalism that has lived for 130 years in Afghanistan suffered different political changes. The Afghan thinkers and journalists following the step role of Sayed Jamaludin Afghan, founder of press thought (philosophy), have suffered different abnormalities, were put in prisons, and sacrificed the soils for reality but have never stopped struggling.

Journalism was different in various historical phases. The Afghan journalists obtained the greatest prides in Asia. When Shamso-u—Nahar was being published, the neighbouring countries such as Iran, central Asia, and a part of India were living in a corner of cultural inability and environmental discrimination.

The publishing of Serajul Akhbar by Mahmood Tarzi—the father of Afghan journalism—would mobilize the thoughts of people in the society beyond the borders of Afghanistan. The analysis and writings of Afghan journalists, and their bright-minded behaviour, would encourage the nation under colony to uprise. We are witness of the three periods of free press in the history of Afghanistan. And the neighbouring countries do not have an example of such regulations and law. Although this freedom of speech was monopolized to politics in particular forms, it was considered a significant task in promotion of thoughts of people. The Afghans in spite of their poor economy and poverty have preserved their cultural authencity, and majority of the people still behave based on the open and transparent political practices.

As to why the press could not have played a selective role in our society, there are different reasons and one of them is poverty and lack of literacy and educational opportunities. But the newspaper and publication have a significant and fundamental status among the educated and bright-minded community, and contents activities of every single page of publications have been analysed by historians and research workers. Their social and political aspects have been assessed in different periods.

In the history of journalism of Afghanistan, there have been two periods of strangulation of press and three periods of censorship under supervision of the regime.

The periods of Amir Abdul Rahman Khan and that of Mohammad Nader Shah with difference from each other could be realized as period of press suppression. During the period of Amir Abdul Rahman Khan, the publishing of newspaper was not permissible, and the ideas and expression of people had to be kept hidden, because this period was considered to be sensitive, as on the one hand, the interfering countries such as England, Russia, and Iran were trying to occupy cities and territories of Afghanistan. Amir did not enjoy support of majority of the people as he had executed the leaders of the Jehad, and he knew that the press would create problems for him that would cause him to be unable to retain power in Kabul. On the other hand, his dependence on Britain and making of agreement, selecting of borders, and losing of southern part of Afghanistan with creation of Durand Line by Britain, occupation of Koqand, Ashqabad, and Panjday at north of Afghanistan by Russians, and losing of Systan, Balochistan, and some western borders towards Berjand and Mashhad to Iran made him unable as they did not have backing of the nation. Amir was also losing power in encounter with the invading countries. The civil was to be extended and would be resulted into partition of Afghanistan and/or its occupation by countries of English, Iran, and Russia so he was trying to keep the society in ambiguity, ignorance, and under oppression.

The period of Amir Habbibullah provided the people with freedom and the freedom of expression and press under the supervision of qualified (prominent) personality in journalism of Afghanistan, for example, Mahmood Tarzi was newly burgeoning. He identified new way and methods in journalism and cultural promotion. In this period, the publication ‘Serajul Atfal’ for children was published for the first time. However, most of the readers were elders of the community.

The constitutional movement emerged, and Amanullah Khan as a result of the father’s indifference was part of that movement and would repeat (represent) the start of composition of different political outputs. But those outputs were very soon brought under the control of ruling government and were suppressed. The bright-minded people of that period were put in prison. But the community remained stable in extension of thought searching and particularly the independence-seeking thought of people caused unity of view and emergence of uprising. It is worth mentioning that the social setup and administration relation suffered corruption, bribery, and abusing due to careless convenience-loving Amir.

The Amani period is considered to be the most eminent historical span of time in which the reviewed thoughts had become fruitful, independence of Afghanistan was restored, the constitution was reinforced, and freedom of speech (expression) was given to people and political setup with different tendencies with constitutionalist circles.

Ershad Neswan was the first publication for Afghan women that was published in east. All this righteousness could be a blessing or could be regarded as a blessing of Mahmood Tarzi whose thought was inspired by that of Sayed Jamaluddeen Afghan. He would compose national interest with religious interests and guide the society towards civilization and public welfare. If Amanullah did not have secular and anti-religion tendency, the country would be, without doubt, civilized very fast.

The royal period of