Karzai appoints two warlords as key governors

Afghan President Hamid Karzai yesterday appointed two warlords, formerly in his Cabinet, to influential governorships.

This was done in an attempt to keep the strongmen happy - but out of his central government.

Gul Agha Sherzai, the former public works minister, was named governor of southern Kandahar province, a post he controlled once before.

Sayed Hussain Anwari, the former agriculture minister, was named governor of Kabul province, which encompasses the capital city.

The appointments were announced yesterday in a presidential decree.

Karzai had sacked the two men, along with powerful former Defence Minister Mohammad Fahim, as part of a sweeping Cabinet reshuffle on Thursday, earning praise for kicking gunslingers out of his government in favour of professionals.

A presidential spokesman, Khaleeq Ahmad, said the men had been effective ministers and were only dismissed because they lacked the university degrees now constitutionally required for all Cabinet members.

"They were qualified people, but unfortunately because of all the warfare in Afghanistan, people who chose jihad did not finish their education," he said.

"But we wanted to promote them and keep them in the government so they could continue their good work."

The gubernatorial appointments are likely to stir unease among human rights groups, who claim the warlords abuse rights and don't accept dissent.

Ironically, many of the strongmen in Karzai's former Cabinet had been pressured to take the jobs in the capital in order to cut them off from their regional power bases, under a US-backed programme.

But with international sentiment shifting to the importance of creating a clean, professional Cabinet, some of them are being sent back.

More than three years after coming to power, the central government still relies on private armies to help control the vast, lawless countryside.

Karzai must walk a political tightrope, keeping the strongmen in check without alienating them.

Fahim, a major Tajik strongman and the head of the northern alliance that helped the United States oust the Taliban in 2001, is still without a new job.

There is talk, however, that he is likely to be offered a post as security adviser to the president a non-Cabinet position that would skirt the education requirement.

In other news, former Central Bank adviser Noorullah Dilawari was named to head the bank, replacing Anwar Ul-Haq Ahadi, who took over as finance minister.