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According to the BBC Monitoring Service, the minister of information and culture, Dr Sayd Makhdum Rahin, has visited the current reconstruction work on the Babor Garden on July 26, 2002. During the visit, he recalled that the Babor's Garden is one of the pleasantest places for the people of Kabul, and said that the garden contains the mausoleum of Babor Shah and Queen Qamar, as well as other monuments. Unfortunately, these have been damaged by the passage of time, carelessness and continuous wars. Dr Rahin said that the Agha Khan institution, the friendly country of Germany and some American organizations have taken an interest and begun large-scale activities to reconstruct Babor's Garden.

New Bridges to provide vital food access:

The press-report highlighted in Islamabad on July 25, 2002 that the construction of five new bridges by the Aga Khan Foundation between the remote northeastern Afghan province of Badakhshan and the southeastern Badakhshoni Khui province in Tajikistan, will help improve the food situation in extremely vulnerable areas, aid workers told IRIN on Thursday. Both provinces are very mountainous, difficult to reach and are geographically isolated in economic terms.

White Death endures in Central Asia:

On July 20, 2002 a report released that : “Locals say an intervention by the Aga Khan, leader of the Ismaili community, helped halt the downward spiral. The billionaire, who has been channelling aid to the region since the fall of the Soviet Union, made his help dependent on the halt of drug cultivation and trafficking. "And we know for a fact now that none of our farmers grow poppy," said Mirza Jahani, chief executive officer of the Aga Khan Foundation in Tajikistan. "We are involved in every community and we know what is going on." In exchange for turning their back on the lucrative drug trade, the Aga Khan promised to increase the number of development projects in the area and started sending humanitarian help to the Afghan communities settled across the Panj River. Within a few years, the level of drug consumption and trafficking plunged dramatically in Khorog and its surrounding areas.”
Humanitarian Aid to Afghanistan:

Another report of July 4, 2002 reveals that the third stage of the action by the international humanitarian coalition (IHC) to give food aid to Northern Afghanistan is being postponed until the autumn. The chief engineer of the Badakhshonnakliyet (the main freight company) joint-stock company, Kudrat Davlyatenov, told a Vecherniy Bishkek correspondent this, quoting the organizers of the operation. He said that the drivers of the Osh [Kyrgyzstan] and Mountainous Badakhshon [Autonomous Region] (Tajikistan) transport enterprises that are involved in the delivery of humanitarian aid have been sent off on unpaid leave

The Finanicial Times (May 31, 2002) reported : “...Many hope that by returning Afghanistan to its multi-cultural roots, they may build a bulwark against the return of Islamic extremism. "Having a living culture in a country is a way to support cultural pluralism rather than sectarianism," said Stefano Bianca of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, which pledged $5m.”

It was further reported on April 30, 2002 that the Imam will help revitalize Kabul area. Aga Khan Cultural Services (Afghanistan), a newly established affiliate of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), will lead the revitalisation of a significant but currently degraded urban area in central Kabul around the historic Timur Shah Mausoleum.
The Interfax News Agency, Moscow reported on April 30, 2002 that the Russian President Vladimir Putin and [spiritual] leader of the Shiite Muslim [Ismaili] community Prince Karim Aga Khan IV discussed peace settlement in Afghanistan.

On April 3, 2002, the Humanitarian organizations continue to provide aid in clearing up the aftermath of the earthquake in the Afghan town of Nahrin. The delivery of aid to the region is being complicated by the difficult accessibility of the regions, mines, poor sanitary conditions and changeable weather. After a meeting with the local authorities in Nahrin, which took place on 29 March, FOCUS Humanitarian Assistance, an affiliate of the Aga Khan Development Network, is also implementing an emergency programme to resolve the problems of drinking water and sanitation.

On March 23, 2003, the Imam and Mr. Hamid Karzai, Chairman of the Interim Authority of the Government of Afghanistan today signed an Agreement of Cooperation for Development that establishes an operating framework for the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in Afghanistan. The Agreement, the first of its kind signed by the Interim Authority, enables the Network to move from the provision of humanitarian assistance to the establishment of long-term development programmes similar to those that have been successfully implemented in India, Pakistan, Tajikistan and other countries in Asia and Africa. In view of the importance of the Loya Jirga Commission's mandate in helping to create a future representative government for Afghanistan, the Aga Khan also announced a grant of US$2 million to enable the Commission to complete its work.

The Afghan girls went back to school for the first time in five years on Saturday, March 23, 2002, elated and emotional at the end of the draconian ban on female education imposed by the now ousted Taliban regime. Interim Afghan leader Hamid Karzai and the UN's special envoy for Afghanistan Lakhdar Brahimi led a ceremony to celebrate the start of the new school year at the capital's Amani High School. Some 500 officials and pupils attended the ceremony, including Interior Minister Yunus Qanooni, Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah, the Agha Khan and UNICEF chief executive Carol

The Tajik news agency Asia-Plus - Dushanbe, Tajikistan (March 15, 2002) reported: The construction of a bridge across the river Panj to Afghanistan has been started in the Tem microdistrict in Khorugh [in Tajikistan's eastern Mountainous Badakhshon Autonomous Region, MBAR]. The head of road building department No 8, Usmon Yormamadov, told Asia-Plus that the construction project had been submitted by the Rahkinkraft [transliterated] production association. The project costs 385,000 dollars, which have been allocated by the AgaKhan foundation's MSDSP [the Mountain Societies Development and Support Programme]. The bridge will be 135 metres long, 3.5 metres wide and have a load-bearing capacity of 25 tonnes.

On March 12, 2002, the daily English Dawn from Karachi writes: "Prince Karim Aga Khan has said he was considering to open a micro finance bank, and take part in other welfare activities in Afghanistan to help alleviate poverty from that country. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of first Micro Finance Bank, set up by the Aga Khan foundation in Pakistan, he said here on Monday that a similar bank would be established in Afghanistan owing to growing poverty and other economic problems being faced by the Afghan government.

It is learnt from the report on January 21, 2002 - Tokyo, Japan: His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslims today announced, at the International Conference on Reconstruction Assistance to Afghanistan, a multiyear commitment of US$75 million by the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) to help re-build Afghanistan

LBC INTERVIEW

Aga Khan: I think that unfortunately, the civilised world has not been able to change the social, ethical, human norms that the Taliban movement tried to impose on Afghanistan. And here I want to be clear: everyone who tried to change this, Muslim and non-Muslim, they all failed. We cannot say that it is a unilateral failure of a Muslim World or of a Christian World. It is the civilised world, as I understand, which did not succeed in changing that situation. Today, one has to ask this question: "What do we wish for Afghanistan?" One has to ask what this conflict situation will bear. And that is where I have engaged myself, and I engage myself everyday, to try to contribute to the visualisation of a pacified, pluralist, modern and stable Afghanistan and where the original demographics, the demography preceding the conflict, can be re-established. And there are four million refugees that have to be repatriated. So if you want, the problem that I ponder is that the military situation is there, but the most important point is how do we rebuild Afghanistan? If we had to go through that tragedy, and come to that situation where the Afghan population are presently, what can we wish? What can we pray for, for this population? And that is where I think, if you want, that the Ummah can come to a consensus and should contribute to that visualisation.

Un Imam des Shiites Ismaeliens appelle a empecher la famine en Afghanistan

October 31, 2001 - LE MONDE - Selon Karim Agha Khan, imam des chiites ismaéliens, "il faut d'abord empêcher que des gens meurent de faim en Afghanistan, puis reconstruire une société civile".

On October 31, 2001 - PARIS - Reuters News Agency - Story Filed: The Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslim community, said in a French newspaper interview on Wednesday that the United Nations should steer the reconstruction of a pluralist civil society in Afghanistan.

AFGHANISTAN'S BIGGEST PROBLEM - POVERTY - CAN BE SOLVED

October 16, 2001 - WASHINGTON (The Christian Science Monitor via COMTEX). "Can mountain poverty really be alleviated? Or is economic and social development under such onerous conditions a quixotic dream? A 20-year project in Pakistan's northern Karakorum Mountains adjoining Afghanistan provides living proof that sustainable development is possible, even under the most daunting physical circumstances. There, the Aga Khan Development Network has worked at the most local level to enable people to feed themselves, set up their own small businesses, establish communal institutions, and build schools. What was once a hotbed of drug trafficking and conflict is now a peaceful and developing region. " Writes Frederick Starr of the Christian Science Monitor.

SUPPORTING INNOVATION IN AFGHANISTAN - THE EXPERIENCE OF THE AKDN

2002, September: Synergos.org. The fall of the Taliban in Afghanistan opened up myriad opportunities to redevelop the social and physical infrastructure of this devastated country. A major player in its rehabilitation is the Aga Khan Development Network, an entity so large, multifaceted and influential that in some countries it has its own embassy and diplomatic status. Its mission is straightforward: "To develop and promote creative solutions to problems that impede social development, primarily in Asia and East Africa." Headquartered in Gouvieux, France, and comprising a set of specialized developmental agencies, the AKDN has branches and independent affiliates in 12 countries.

AKDN is headed byPrince Karim Aga Khan, one of the world's most prominent philanthropists. In 1956, when he was just 20, he became the leader of the 15 million Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims who live in 25 countries in East Africa and Central and South Asia.

In 1986, Dr. Najib, who was a Pushtun ethnic, replaced Babrak Karmal. The Ismailis working in the government, notably in the Secret Service Department, called as KHAD, held high positions, but were dismissed. Most of them had gone to India and Russia, and finally settled in Canada.

Dr. Najib resigned after the peace negotiation of UN, and it led the transfer of power to a coalition of Islamic parties in 1992. It was followed by a civil war in Kabul, resulting an influx of the Ismailis of different provinces to pour down in Pakistan.

The Ismailis in northern parts of Afghanistan originally are concentrated in Baghalan province along in Kayan valley, the districts of Doshi including Kilagai, Neikpai, Shoturjangal, Charbagh and Pulikhumri town having 3500 families, in Samangan province including mountainous villages of Pasaband having 800 families, in Kundoz province and Khanabad district having 500 families, Mazar-i Sharif having 300 families, etc. have migrated towards Central Asia and Pakistan.

During two and a half centuries of its existence since 1747, Afghanistan has experienced two large-scale mass migrations, both resulting from violent campaigns of massacre conducted by ruling regimes. During the first period of migration, hundreds of thousands of Afghanistan inhabitants sought refuge in neighbouring countries. These migrants, or refugees from the period of Abdur Rahman’s reign (1880-1901) were composed of all ethnic groups within Afghanistan.

Incessant tribal fighting couped with the instability of the Kabul regime and the obstructionism tendency of the theologian class resulted another mass migration in 1978 and 1992. The whole country is still in the grips of a bloody factional tribal war ever since the downfall of its communist President Najibullah in 1992, and the influx of the immigrants is continued. The greater part of Afghanistan is under control of the Taliban; a guerilla group emerged in 1994. As for the Ismailis of Afghanistan, it must be admitted beyond doubt that it was a greatest mass migration throughout the Ismaili history.

It is worthwhile to mention that the illiterate jamats of Afghanistan were quite unknown with the real picture. When they settled outside Afghanistan, they learnt the factual position from different sources.

The Ismailis of Afghanistan have unabated love for the Imam rooted with unwavering faith. The Afghan Ismailis adjusted themselves in the Ismaili society out of Afghanistan and oriented in their traditions prevalent in the Ismaili world. They are regular in their religious practices and give adequate education to their children, keeping religious and secular dimensions in equal balance. When they will return to their homeland, it appears that they will take away the religious practices, which they followed outside Afghanistan, and introduce in their Jamatkhanas. Their practices and institutions will most probably influence the other regions of Central Asia.

Soon after the migration, the Afghan Jamat breathed a sigh of relief. The Afghan Jamat learnt that the Imam of the Age is an absolute authority. It is an awareness gleaned in their thoughts due to coming into the contacts of non-Afghan Jamat. The force of vehement fear and persecution hovering upon them seems to have melted away gradually in their minds. They maintain that the Imam guides his followers through a network of appointed leaders of the Imamate Institution. The only real remedy of the situation lies in the education and in imparting genuine Ismaili values. They are being oriented in the countries and take adequate benefits in pluralism.

On this juncture, we deem it necessary to throw some lights on the non-Afghan Jamat, who served and helped the Afghan Ismailis in accordance with the guidance of the Imam as an act of religious service. It is a great mishap for one who migrates from one to another country without assistance and cooperation. The pitiable condition almost disappeared when they came into the new contacts and a ray of hope gleaned in their future.

FOCUS Humanitarian Assistance (FOCUS) is an international group of agencies established to compliment and facilitate the provision of emergency humanitarian assistance in specific regions of Africa and Asia. FOCUS is an affiliate of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). The units of FOCUS are incorporated in Canada (1994), Europe (1996), United States (1996) and Pakistan (1998). Each unit has a Board of Directors and Managements. The FOCUS International Coordinating Committee coordinates their activities on global level. Over last five years, FOCUS has progressively refined its capability to mobilize local manpower and other resources to permit prompt needs assessments and distribution of emergency relief supplies to the Afghan refugees. Their service includes provision of food, primary health care, education and assistance in moving from refugee camps to permanent housing.

Warm and well-deserved tribute must be paid to the leaders, institutions and workers, who, despite language problems came forward in the field with all resources and helped their Afghan Ismaili brethren in their daily foods, clothes, lodging, health, education, jobs, etc. Indeed, every front came into action, recalling the tremendous role the Ansars (helpers) played in Medina in the time of our Holy Prophet. They have exhibited true spirit of fidais of the past, which shall ever remain remembered. This is an incredible service, rather a true notion of jihad (holy war) ordained in Islamic teachings.

During his last visit to Pakistan in October 2000, Mawlana Hazar Imam said: "It is my conviction that, when peace returns as, Inshallah, it will, one day, to Afghanistan, there will be many years needed to rebuild society, to rebuild the economy of Afghanistan, and the process to rebuild society, and to rebuild the economy of Afghanistan, will require educated men and women."

Kayan is a valley in Soshi districts of Baghalan province, situated in northern Afghanistan, having 27000 sq. km Ismaili fiefdom. The forefathers of these Sayeds mostly resided in this valley, making them known as the Kayani Sayeds. Nothing is known about their origin except that Sayed Nadir Khan writes in Tarikh-i Gharib (Bombay, 1938) that his forefather, Shah Salih came from Iran to Herat and Kandahar. He then proceeded towards Hazarajat and settled at last in the province of Baghalan. Granted that this tradition is genuine, it means that it was most probably the period of Imam Gharib Mirza (d. 1496).

When these Sayeds settled in Afghanistan, the Safavids had captured whole Iran in 1500 A.D. and proclaimed Shiism as state religion. This despotic and bigoted dynasty ordered the merciless slaughter of the Sunnis and Sufis in Iran. Most of them migrated towards Afghanistan. It is however not confirmed whether these Sayeds belonged to these oppressed people or they are really Sayeds from among the Shia Ismailis. They never collected religious dues in Afghanistan nor imposed their headships on religious ground during the early period of their settlement. There was a minor group of Hindu residing in Kabul, who professed Ismailism secretly. They however practiced taqiya and hid themselves in the mantles of the Hindus. The local Ismailis in Afghanistan were the only people to know their faith and link with the Imam. The Afghan Ismailis collected the tithe and delivered to them, who remitted it to the Imam in Iran. According to the narration of Sayed Nadir Khan, "About 120 years ago, our forefathers were under Bairam Diyal and his fathers and they were the Hindus living in Kabul. Their descendants also are in Kabul and our ancestors delivered their oblations to them in Kabul."

The Sayeds of Kayan served the Afghan jamats as local rulers for a long period. The first among them was Sayed Abdul Hadi, who in his advanced age had made a trip of Mahallat from Kabul. Imam Hasan Ali Shah appointed him as the mukhi of Central and Northern parts of Afghanistan. He was the first mukhi in Afghanistan, who administered the offices of dai and khalifa. His son Shah Hussain succeeded him.

Nothing is known about the early life of Shah Hussain or his services as a mukhi. Sayed Nadir Khan is also silent in his Tarikh-i Gharib on the subject. He was however the first among the Afghan jamat to see Imam Hasan Ali Shah at Kandahar in 1842. He died in 1854 and left behind seven sons, two of them were appointed as the mukhi, viz. Sayed Jafar Khan and Sayed Gawhar Khan.

The next who followed was Sayed Jafar Khan, who served as a mukhi for 40 years. He was very influential during the regime of Sher Ali Khan. The tradition has it that once Imam Hasan Ali Shah sent four Arabian horses as a gift to Sher Ali Khan through Sayed Jafar Khan and Mirza Ahmed. Sher Ali Khan kept the horses in Kataghan for breeding. The people of Kataghan still remember the race of the horses as Barnaj and Barata. He died in 1894 and his younger brother, Sayed Gawhar Khan succeeded him.

The tradition has it that Gawhar Khan was appointed by Imam Aga Ali Shah (d. 1885), which seems incorrect, as the death of Sayed Jafar Khan took place in 1894, or nine years after the death of Imam Aga Ali Shah. His followers delivered him the tithe in Kulab, Bukhara. The tenure of his office lasted for four to five years, and died in 1898. His son, Fridun Khan, succeeded him.

Sayed Faridun Khan (1875-1908) executed the office of the mukhi for 10 years and died at the age of 33 years in 1908 at Kulab. He had no male issue. He is noted to have composed some poems and painted few pictures. His younger brother, Sayed Timor Khan, succeeded him.

Sayed Timor Khan was born in 1900 in Kulab, Bukhara. He was about 24 years old during the death of his brother. It was the period of Habibullah Khan (1901-1919), the son of Abdur Rahman (d. 1901) when Sayed Timor Khan succeeded. He presented a petition to the ruler that he could not live in exile, therefore, the amir allowed him to return to his homeland. He however settled with his relatives in Kabul, where his followers flocked and delivered tithe. He was however marked by the government and was exiled to Kandahar, where he remained for two years. Habibullah Khan was killed in 1919 and was succeeded by his son, Amanullah (1919-1929), who issued orders that all the exiled people of his father and grandfather could freely return to their homeland, and also issued a decree of delivery of the properties that had been seized from them. Sayed Timor Khan returned to his native place, Kayan and appointed his younger brother, Sayed Nadir Khan as a mediator between himself and the government for the protection of his dynasty and followers.

In his advanced age, Sayed Timor Khan came in Kabul, and was displeased with his brother and returned to Kayan, where he died in 1924. He had not nominated his successor from among his three sons, Shuja Khan, Hasan Khan and Manuchehr Khan. He had some poetical talents. His Diwan lithographed in Bombay in 1932 by his friends.
Sayed Nadir Khan (1900-1971) had a wide and intensive struggle against his brother’s son, Shuja Khan, who claimed that he was a true heir of his father. Mohammad Hasan from Torkman Hazarajat and some other people from northern areas also supported him. With his spies he had planted in all directions, Sayed Nadir Khan easily inflicted a defeat to Shuja Khan and became an absolute leader of the Ismailis.

General Muhammad Nadir Shah (1929-1933) had also captured Kabul and proclaimed as a king of Afghanistan. Sayed Nadir Khan seized an opportunity and declared his loyalty to General Muhammad Nadir Shah. Sayed Nadir Khan was on very intimate terms with the ruling government of General Mohammad Nadir Shah and his son Mohammad Zahir Shah (1929-1973) and also other ruling classes. His elder son, Sayed Nasir Naderi, secured seats during the two parliamentary elections. He was also elected in the parliament in 1969 as a deputy of parliament. In order to boost his influence, he married to the daughter of a Looy Khan, a very influential Sunni Pushtun chief.

The Ismailis of Shibar, Iraq and Kalu districts, Bamiyan province, Siasang, Behsud and Quli Khish districts, Wardak province and Torkman and Shikhali districts, Parwan province, also called Hazarajat have confined themselves to agriculture and animal husbandry. They were the poorest jamat in the central part of Afghanistan and wandered in search of bread and butter. Since 1946, they gradually drifted towards the city until the end of 1980 and almost 90 percent of them settled in Kabul, while the Ismailis of the northern areas remained in their old nests unmoved. The significant benefit of the emigrants was the education, which they gave to their children.

After enjoying his authority for over 50 years, Sayed Nadir Khan died at the age of 71 years in 1971, and was buried in Kayan. His son Sayed Nasir Naderi assumed his father’s authority.

Sayed Nasir Naderi said to have visited Paris at the end of 1971, and gained an audience of the Imam in presence of Chhotu Lakhani. It was decided to appoint him as an agent of the Imam for two years.