Shams Ul Huda Shams
Encyclopedia
Shams-ul-Huda Shams was the president of the Afghan Social Democratic Party
(also known as Afghan Mellat) from 1987 until his death on October 9, 2005. He was also a journalist, publishing articles in his party's newspaper called 'Afghan Mellat'. Shams had recently returned to his homeland after twenty-seven years in exile and had opened an office for his party in Jalalabad
.
, was born in Nurgal
in the Kunar province
of Afghanistan
. In 1984, the founder of Afghan Social Democratic Party, Ghulam Mohammad Farhad
, died. Three years later in 1987, Shams was selected as the new head of the party.
The party then began to split into 3 factions, one led by Shams-ul-Huda Shams, another by Qudratullah Hadad and the third by Mohammad Amin Wakman
. Mr. Wakman’s faction is now led by Afghan Finance Minister Anwar Ul Haq Ahady.
During the early days of the Soviet war in Afghanistan
, Shams established a base for his party in Peshawar
, Pakistan
. He led his party in the face of strong opposition from religious extremist parties on one hand and the incumbent communist regime on the other. Shams had an uncompromising attitude towards communism, that is why he never agreed to strike a deal with the Soviet-backed government of Kabul
in spite of repeated attempts by the latter, up to the point of offering him a cabinet position.
Shams was in favor of the establishment of a modern democratic government in the country which could retain its National Islamic character. After the removal of Mohammad Najibullah
's Soviet-backed government and Mujahideen
take over of Afghanistan, shams continued his opposition with the incumbent regime of religious parties, which he argued, was not representing the majority of Afghan nation. Shams was especially against the Taliban government that was backed by Pakistan.
While in Peshawar
, Shams continued to publish his party's newspaper 'Afghan Mellat' which published articles that produced nationalistic sentiments and called for democratic development in the war-ravaged Afghanistan. Besides writing in his party's journal, shams also contributed scholarly articles and essays to other newspapers and journals. A unique feature in his writings was that he described facts regardless of its outcome.
Shams kept a close friendly relationship with Pakhtun Nationalist Parties and Pashto
literary organizations of Pakistan, especially Pakhtunkhwa Qawmi Party of Afzal Khan Lala
. Shams’s death was widely mourned by Afghans all over the world. After the death of Shamsul Huda Shams, the party congress held an emergency meeting and elected Ajmal Shams
as the new president of the Afghan Mellat Party.
Afghan Social Democratic Party
The Afghan Social Democratic Party, more commonly known as Afghan Mellat , is a Pashtun nationalist political party in Afghanistan. Controversially, the party's leadership describes it as social democratic, but it is not recognized as such by the Socialist International...
(also known as Afghan Mellat) from 1987 until his death on October 9, 2005. He was also a journalist, publishing articles in his party's newspaper called 'Afghan Mellat'. Shams had recently returned to his homeland after twenty-seven years in exile and had opened an office for his party in Jalalabad
Jalalabad
Jalalabad , formerly called Adinapour, as documented by the 7th century Hsüan-tsang, is a city in eastern Afghanistan. Located at the junction of the Kabul River and Kunar River near the Laghman valley, Jalalabad is the capital of Nangarhar province. It is linked by approximately of highway with...
.
Early years
Shams, an ethnic PashtunPashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
, was born in Nurgal
Nurgal District
Nurgal District is situated in the western part of Kunar Province, Afghanistan, 90 km West from Asadabad, and is near Jalalabad city. It borders Nangarhar Province to the west and south, Chapa Dara district to the north and Chawkay and Khas Kunar districts to the east. The population is 28,000...
in the Kunar province
Kunar Province
Kunar is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in the northeastern part of the country. Its capital is Asadabad. It is one of the four "N2KL" provinces...
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...
. In 1984, the founder of Afghan Social Democratic Party, Ghulam Mohammad Farhad
Ghulam Mohammad Farhad
Ghulam Mohammad Farhad was an Afghan engineer and Pashtun nationalist. He lived in Germany on a royal scholarship from 1921 to 1928, training as an electrician at the Technical University of Munich. During his studies in Germany, he came in contact with Nazi policy and became fascinated by some...
, died. Three years later in 1987, Shams was selected as the new head of the party.
The party then began to split into 3 factions, one led by Shams-ul-Huda Shams, another by Qudratullah Hadad and the third by Mohammad Amin Wakman
Mohammad Amin Wakman
Mohammad Amin Wakman is the Honorary Chairman and Director of International Affairs of Afghan Mellat Party.Mohammad Amin Wakman was born on November 1, 1939 in Maidan Wardag Province of Afghanistan...
. Mr. Wakman’s faction is now led by Afghan Finance Minister Anwar Ul Haq Ahady.
During the early days of the Soviet war in Afghanistan
Soviet war in Afghanistan
The Soviet war in Afghanistan was a nine-year conflict involving the Soviet Union, supporting the Marxist-Leninist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Afghan Mujahideen and foreign "Arab–Afghan" volunteers...
, Shams established a base for his party in Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. He led his party in the face of strong opposition from religious extremist parties on one hand and the incumbent communist regime on the other. Shams had an uncompromising attitude towards communism, that is why he never agreed to strike a deal with the Soviet-backed government of Kabul
Kabul
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...
in spite of repeated attempts by the latter, up to the point of offering him a cabinet position.
Shams was in favor of the establishment of a modern democratic government in the country which could retain its National Islamic character. After the removal of Mohammad Najibullah
Mohammad Najibullah
Mohammad Najibullah Ahmadzai , originally merely Najibullah, was the fourth and last President of the Soviet-backed Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. He is also considered the second President of the Republic of Afghanistan.-Early years:Najibullah was born in August 1947 to the Ahmadzai...
's Soviet-backed government and Mujahideen
Mujahideen
Mujahideen are Muslims who struggle in the path of God. The word is from the same Arabic triliteral as jihad .Mujahideen is also transliterated from Arabic as mujahedin, mujahedeen, mudžahedin, mudžahidin, mujahidīn, mujaheddīn and more.-Origin of the concept:The beginnings of Jihad are traced...
take over of Afghanistan, shams continued his opposition with the incumbent regime of religious parties, which he argued, was not representing the majority of Afghan nation. Shams was especially against the Taliban government that was backed by Pakistan.
While in Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
, Shams continued to publish his party's newspaper 'Afghan Mellat' which published articles that produced nationalistic sentiments and called for democratic development in the war-ravaged Afghanistan. Besides writing in his party's journal, shams also contributed scholarly articles and essays to other newspapers and journals. A unique feature in his writings was that he described facts regardless of its outcome.
Shams kept a close friendly relationship with Pakhtun Nationalist Parties and Pashto
Pashto language
Pashto , known as Afghani in Persian and Pathani in Punjabi , is the native language of the indigenous Pashtun people or Afghan people who are found primarily between an area south of the Amu Darya in Afghanistan and...
literary organizations of Pakistan, especially Pakhtunkhwa Qawmi Party of Afzal Khan Lala
Afzal Khan Lala
Muhammed Afzal Khan Lala also known as Afzal Khan Lala is a Pashtun nationalist, former Pakistani provincial and Federal minister from the Swat valley in the North-West Frontier Province....
. Shams’s death was widely mourned by Afghans all over the world. After the death of Shamsul Huda Shams, the party congress held an emergency meeting and elected Ajmal Shams
Ajmal Shams
Eng. Ajmal Shams is the son of the late Shamsul Huda Shams, the former president of the Afghan Social Democratic Party...
as the new president of the Afghan Mellat Party.