Mohammad Musa Shafiq
Encyclopedia
Mohammad Musa Shafiq was Prime Minister
of Afghanistan
. He was an Afghan
politician and poet. He became Foreign Minister
in 1971 and Prime Minister
in December 1972. He lost both positions when Mohammed Zahir Shah
was overthrown on July 17, 1973. He survived throughout the regime of Mohammed Daoud Khan
, but was arrested after the 1978 communist coup d'état
and executed along with many other non-communist politicians in 1979.
, Afghanistan
in 1932. His father was originally from Kama district
of Nangarhar province.
from Al-Azhar University
in Egypt
. He earned an additional Master's degree from Columbia University
in New York
, United States of America
.
early, fearing that increased government popularity under Shafiq's leadership threatened popular support for a new regime led by Daoud. Because of Shafiq's success as prime minister, his seven months in power have been seen as a possible guide for contemporary Afghan leaders seeking government stabilization. However, little has been written in English about Shafiq's administration.
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
of Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. He was an Afghan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
politician and poet. He became Foreign Minister
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
in 1971 and Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
in December 1972. He lost both positions when Mohammed Zahir Shah
Mohammed Zahir Shah
Mohammed Zahir Shah was the last King of Afghanistan, reigning for four decades, from 1933 until he was ousted by a coup in 1973...
was overthrown on July 17, 1973. He survived throughout the regime of Mohammed Daoud Khan
Mohammed Daoud Khan
Sardar Mohammed Daoud Khan or Daud Khan was Prime Minister of Afghanistan from 1953 to 1963 and later becoming the President of Afghanistan...
, but was arrested after the 1978 communist coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
and executed along with many other non-communist politicians in 1979.
Early life
Mohammad Musa Shafiq was born in KabulKabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
in 1932. His father was originally from Kama district
Kama District
Kama is a district in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, to the east of Jalalabad. Its population, which is 100% Pashtun, was estimated at 88,000 in 2002.The district centre is the village of Sanger Srye Kama....
of Nangarhar province.
Education
Mohammad Musa Shafiq was graduated from Kabul Arabic Religious High School. He earned his Master's degreeMaster's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
from Al-Azhar University
Al-Azhar University
Al-Azhar University is an educational institute in Cairo, Egypt. Founded in 970~972 as a madrasa, it is the chief centre of Arabic literature and Islamic learning in the world. It is the oldest degree-granting university in Egypt. In 1961 non-religious subjects were added to its curriculum.It is...
in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. He earned an additional Master's degree from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States of America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Prime minister
As prime minister, Shafiq sought closer ties with the United States and promised a crack-down on opium growing and smuggling. Despite being prime minister for only seven months, Shafiq made significant progress toward stabilizing Afghanistan's government and renewing the Afghan public's confidence in the monarchy. Some scholars suggest that Shafiq's success as prime minister caused his overthrow to occur when it did. Under this theory, Daoud Khan and his conspirators decided to move forward with an already-planned coup d'étatCoup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
early, fearing that increased government popularity under Shafiq's leadership threatened popular support for a new regime led by Daoud. Because of Shafiq's success as prime minister, his seven months in power have been seen as a possible guide for contemporary Afghan leaders seeking government stabilization. However, little has been written in English about Shafiq's administration.