A Brief Biography of Prime Minister Mohammad Hashim Maiwandwal

1299- 9 Mizan 1352 (1921-1973)

Written by: Mr. Wali Aria
Afghan Radio San Diego
Webmaster: Ramien M Shalizi
 

Maiwandwal was Prime Minister of Afghanistan for a brief but eventful period, an intellectual and at the service of his beloved people.
Mohammad Hashim Maiwandwal was born into a working class family. He had always sought justice, humanity in the sense of human rights, and equality for his countrymen until he reached a point where his intellectual ideas and deeds made him a champion of the afghan people. Although Maiwandwal achieved great popularity and vast contentions with the world and people all over the world, never forgot about his true battle, his people and the struggle to make life better for his people.
While writing Tafsir Mo’azatain at the preface he found himself and his reason for life in a few verses of the great Afghan poet Maulana Jalaluddin Balkhi Rumi.

Maiwandwal had a huge challenge in front of him, like the vast mountains of Afghanistan his clear vision was blocked by primitive thinkers and those who worked for the enemies of progress in Afghanistan, but his path towards his goal remained bright for he didn’t reach it. His morality was based on the rules and laws of Islam and his political views were intertwined with his knowledge of his religion and his love for his religion but most importantly common sense. The base of his beliefs were:

Public Service Patriotism

Love for Afghanistan

Love of the people of Afghanistan

Righteousness and progress

Savior of Good and burial of Evil

Equality and human rights for all

Maiwandwal would say “ This is a birth right and our task is to fight for rights and righteousness. If not we well be shamed and worthless in the eyes of our creator and remain engulfed in shame for the rest of our afterlife”. He also wrote, “there are those who think of their religion as a hard and boundless task in their lives and others form a secular fundamental and only a way of life. For us the Islam is the light of values which clears the vision and purifies the heart, creates a world of love, brotherhood and equality”. After his intense study of foreign relations and the roots of nationalism in Afghanistan Maiwandwal formed a clear line for the establishment of a autonomous nation and the idea of removing the hand of powerful nations from the midst of the poor nations of the world. Which in turn would create two identities for the nation of Afghanistan.

Internally Afghanistan should create a state of nationalism and unity, creation of peace, brotherhood and understanding between different ethnic groups and an idealistic view against foreign puppets, instigators of unrest and selling out to foreign nations.

Externally this unity will be the basis of independence, protection of its rights and a defense against the influences of foreigners.
Maiwandwal said, “we see Afghanistan as garden in which colorful flowers co exist. Where each flower helps in the creation of the scent and beauty of the spring air of Afghanistan”. Maiwandwal believed that democracy would not arise from dictatorship but from a unity of the people, their love of freedom and their country..

According to our sources, during his years as Prime Minister Maiwandwal created a project called khalqo ta zo’ (going to the public) where he visited the people of Afghanistan to find out their needs and ideals of how their government should function and what concessions needed to be made to the people. He had an open door policy to the public. They could visit their prime minister who encouraged Q&A sessions at the parliament to bring about a sense of democracy.

Prior to the coup of Daoud Khan, Maiwandwal had visited abroad to be treated for cancer and returned to Afghanistan 3 weeks after the coup and met with the new head of state President Dauod to rectify any misunderstandings that might have occurred while he was abroad. Coincidentally Maiwandwal had made a speech regarding Coup and governments that raise to power as a result of coups just 2 years prior to Dauod Khan’s Coup against his cousin King Zahir Shah.

On September 20 of 1973 Hashim Maiwandwal, Khan Mohammad, Khan Mlastyarr, General Abdul Razaq Khan, General Malikyar, General Naseri, General Sahaaq and a few others were arrested and imprisoned with the charge of planning a coup against the government. Without any proof and witnesses to this account they were tortured and beaten by high-ranking generals of the Parchami faction of the communist party of Afghanistan.

On October 1st of 1973 the enemies of democracy and freedom martyred Prime Minister Mohammad Hashim Maiwandwal after 11 nights of continuous torture. May God rest his soul.

Time Line of Prime Minister Maiwandwal's life

1921 – Birth of Mohammad Hashim Maiwandwal to Poor family. His father was Mawlawi Abdul Haleem of Moqor and Mother from the Ahmadzai family of Province of Logar.

1939 – Mohammad Hashim’s parents along with his two brothers moved to Ashiqan o harifan street in Kabul where he began elementary school at Ghazi School and
later joined Lesa Habibya.

1943 – Mohammad Hashim graduated from Lesa Habibya with honors and high grades and began work at Etifaq Islamic Newspaper in Heraat.

1945 – Became the executive officer in Aryana.

1946 – President of Anis Newspaper and Minister of information. Where he published the on goings of the 7th parliament without censorship.

1954 – Mostashar Ambassador to Washington DC.

1955 - Minister of information for the 2nd term. Where he made the rules and regulations and laws of the government available to the public to read.

1957 – Deputy secretary of foreign affairs, which lead to his appointment as Afghan ambassador to London.

1959 – Afghan ambassador to Karachi.

1960 – Afghan ambassador to Washington DC

1962 – Afghan ambassador to Pakistan

1964 – Member of Cabinet of Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Yousef which lead to his appointment as the chief organizer of the cabinet.

1965 – Appointed Prime Minister of Afghanistan by King Zahir Shah

1967 – Lyndon B. Johnson Welcomes the Prime Minister Maiwandwal to the White House on March 28, 1967

1967 – Received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from UCSB, during the 99th charter anniversary observances on April 3rd 1967

1968 – Due illness resigned from his post at the cabinet

1973 – October 1st 1973, the enemies of democracy and freedom martyred Prime Minister Mohammad Hashim Maiwandwal after 11 nights of continuous torture. May God rest his soul.