Yousef Pashtun
Encyclopedia
Mohammad Yousef Pashtun is the Minister of Urban Development and Housing for Afghanistan
. He previously served as Governor of Kandahar province
, in 2003 replacing Gul Agha Sherzai
.
, and being ranked in top 10 of Afghanistan's Higher Secondary Board Exam, he soon received a USAID/Kabul University scholarship to attend American University of Beirut
in Lebanon
. He earned his Bachelors degree here in Engineering
, also completing two Masters degrees, in Architecture
(1973) and Urban Design and Planning (1977).
After his double Masters, he worked in "Dar-ul-Handasa Design & Construction Company" in the middle East. Under this company he worked on the master plans of Dubai
and Ras-al-Khaima cities. After his return to Afghanistan he worked as a Lecturer in Engineering Faculty of Kabul University.
, Yousef Pashtun escaped three times from Soviet troops and finally had to leave Afghanistan, and he took refuge to Pakistan. In Pakistan he started helping the Mujaheedin(The Afghan fighters against Soviet Troops). He started to provide Foreign aid to the Mujaheedin and also founded Al-Jehad Hospital for the treatment of Afghan Mujahideens. Having secret trips to Afghanistan to provide financial & Medical aid for the Mujaheedins, he worked a lot for the victory of Mujaheedins over Soviet troops. During the war against Soviet Invasion he formed strong ties with United Nations and then he founded several other NGOs like Mercy Corps International (MCI) for the agricultural development of Afghanistan, Demining Agency for Afghanistan (DAFA) and Rehabilitating Infrastructure for Rural Afghanistan (RIFRA) for the development of Afghanistan.
, in Pakistan
where he worked to reinstate the previous king of Afghanistan, Zahir Shah
. During exile in Quetta, Yousef Pashtun along with some other Prominent Afghan Political figures like Abdul Ahad Karzai(father of Hamid Karzai), Hamid Karzai, Gul Agha Sherzai and other figures worked to reinstate the former Afghan king. He has also worked in the executive committee of Loya Jirga under the command of His Excellency Mohammad Zahir Shah (The father of the Nation and former King of Afghanistan).
In 2006 he got vote of confidence from the Parliament to resume his post as the Minister of Urban Development. As a Minister of Urban Development, he established an Independent Board for the Development of Kabul New City. The Board brings together key stakeholders, including relevant government agencies, as well as urban specialists and economists. The board prepared a master plan for the city in the context of Greater Kabul. The master plan and its implementation strategy for 2025 were endorsed by the Afghan Cabinet in early 2009. Soon, as a top priority, the initiative turned into one of the biggest commercially viable national development project of the country, expected to be led by the private sector.
Minister Pashtun was also a prominent candidate for the post of Director General ,UN-Habitat representing South Asian Countries.
He has fluency in Pashto, Dari, English, Urdu, Arabic and Armenian langague.
Minister Pashtun is father of two sons & three daughters. His brother, Khalid Pashtoon
, was elected to represent Kandahar in the Wolesi Jirga in 2005.
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 previously served as Governor of Kandahar province
Kandahar Province
Kandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
, in 2003 replacing Gul Agha Sherzai
Gul Agha Sherzai
Gul Agha Sherzai is the current Governor of Nangarhar province in Afghanistan.He previously served as Governor of Kandahar province, in the early 1990s and from 2001 until 2003.-Biography:...
.
Biography
Yousef Pashtun, an ethnic Pashtun of the Barakzai tribe, was born in the city of Kandahar. He was born to one of the elite families of Kandahar on November 15, 1946. His grandfather, General Mohammad Nabi Khan was the Army Chief of Southern Zone of Afghanistan during the Third Afghan - Anglo War under the command of King Amanullah Khan. His father, Brigadier Mohammad Ghani Khan, served as Core Commander of Eastern & afterwards Northern Zone of Afghanistan. He was graduated from Ahmad Shah Baba High School in 1965. He began studying Engineering at Kabul UniversityKabul University
Kabul University is located in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. It was founded in 1931 but officially opened for classes in 1932. Kabul University is currently attended by approximately 7,000 students, of which 1,700 are women. As of 2008, Hamidullah Amin is the chancellor of the university...
, and being ranked in top 10 of Afghanistan's Higher Secondary Board Exam, he soon received a USAID/Kabul University scholarship to attend American University of Beirut
American University of Beirut
The American University of Beirut is a private, independent university in Beirut, Lebanon. It was founded as the Syrian Protestant College by American missionaries in 1866...
in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. He earned his Bachelors degree here in Engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, also completing two Masters degrees, in Architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
(1973) and Urban Design and Planning (1977).
After his double Masters, he worked in "Dar-ul-Handasa Design & Construction Company" in the middle East. Under this company he worked on the master plans of Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
and Ras-al-Khaima cities. After his return to Afghanistan he worked as a Lecturer in Engineering Faculty of Kabul University.
During Soviet invasion
After the Soviet InvasionSoviet 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...
, Yousef Pashtun escaped three times from Soviet troops and finally had to leave Afghanistan, and he took refuge to Pakistan. In Pakistan he started helping the Mujaheedin(The Afghan fighters against Soviet Troops). He started to provide Foreign aid to the Mujaheedin and also founded Al-Jehad Hospital for the treatment of Afghan Mujahideens. Having secret trips to Afghanistan to provide financial & Medical aid for the Mujaheedins, he worked a lot for the victory of Mujaheedins over Soviet troops. During the war against Soviet Invasion he formed strong ties with United Nations and then he founded several other NGOs like Mercy Corps International (MCI) for the agricultural development of Afghanistan, Demining Agency for Afghanistan (DAFA) and Rehabilitating Infrastructure for Rural Afghanistan (RIFRA) for the development of Afghanistan.
Taliban Era
After the Soviet withdrawal he was proposed so many posts in the Afghan Mujaheedin's Government but he refused and continued with his task of reinstating the Former King of Afghanistan Mohammad Zahir Shah. He lived in exile in QuettaQuetta
is the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" due to the diversity of its plant and animal wildlife, Quetta is home to the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which contains some of the rarest species of wildlife in the...
, in 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...
where he worked to reinstate the previous king of Afghanistan, 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...
. During exile in Quetta, Yousef Pashtun along with some other Prominent Afghan Political figures like Abdul Ahad Karzai(father of Hamid Karzai), Hamid Karzai, Gul Agha Sherzai and other figures worked to reinstate the former Afghan king. He has also worked in the executive committee of Loya Jirga under the command of His Excellency Mohammad Zahir Shah (The father of the Nation and former King of Afghanistan).
After the Fall of Taliban
During U.S. Invasion over Taliban Government in 2001, Yousef Pashtun along with Gul Agha Sherzai & and group of fighters attacked from the Southern Zone and captured the Kandahar city in 7 days. Afterwards when Gul Agha Sherzai was announced as Governor of Kandahar in January 2002, he worked as the Executive Co-Ordinator of Kandahar province to stabilize the local Government. In 2002, he was appointed Minister of Urban Development and Housing under the Transitional Government, and a year later, was appointed Governor of Kandahar Province. In 2004 after the start of Republic Government of Afghanistan, he returned to Kabul resuming his role as Minister of Urban Development and Housing.In 2006 he got vote of confidence from the Parliament to resume his post as the Minister of Urban Development. As a Minister of Urban Development, he established an Independent Board for the Development of Kabul New City. The Board brings together key stakeholders, including relevant government agencies, as well as urban specialists and economists. The board prepared a master plan for the city in the context of Greater Kabul. The master plan and its implementation strategy for 2025 were endorsed by the Afghan Cabinet in early 2009. Soon, as a top priority, the initiative turned into one of the biggest commercially viable national development project of the country, expected to be led by the private sector.
Minister Pashtun was also a prominent candidate for the post of Director General ,UN-Habitat representing South Asian Countries.
Publications & Studies
| No. | Publication |
|---|---|
| 1. | Architectural Trends in Beirut during 1880-1970, 1973 - American University of Beirut. |
| 2. | Survey and preliminary planning for 23 towns in the River states, Nigeria. |
| 3. | Master Plan for the town of Okrika, Nigeria. |
| 4. | Master Plan for the town of Ogbia, Nigeria. |
| 5. | Master Plan for the town of Omuku, Nigeria. |
| 6. | Master Plan for the town of Okehi, River states, Nigeria. |
| 7. | Master Plan survey and study for the city of Kuduna, Nigeria. |
| 8. | Master plan for Ras-ul-Khima, United Arab Emirates. |
| 9. | Master Plan for Manama, Bahrain. |
| 10. | Master Plan for the town of , Wafra, Kuwait. |
| 11. | Master Plan and first Phase Design for Yarmuk University, Cross, Jordan. |
| 12. | Preliminary study Master Plan for Medina Munawara, Saudi Arabia. |
| 13. | Master Plan for one million scale city of Kandahar, Afghanistan. |
| 14. | Statistical Survey of Afghan population at the district level, refugees and settled, coauthor, Dr. Tom Eimy, USAID-Pakistan. |
Paper Studies
| No. | Paper |
|---|---|
| 1. | The Effects of Armed Conflict and Migration on Social fabrics, University London. |
| 2. | The effects of social disintegration on Urban Development in Afghanistan. |
| 3. | Informal settlements are the major challenge to Urban development. |
| 4. | Urban Planning through public participation in Afghanistan. |
| 5. | Water Supply and Sanitation as the status of developed city in Afghanistan. |
| 6. | Housing and poverty in Afghanistan. |
| 7. | Well Serviced cities are the machines of developing economy underdeveloped. |
| 8. | Program for the settlement of 1.5 million Afghan Nomads. |
| 9. | Program for the 85 townships for the settlement of returning 6 million Afghan refugees. |
| 10. | Proposal for the development of Basic Urban Services in 40 Afghan cities and townships. |
| 11. | Mortgage Policy and Program for Housing in Afghanistan. |
Memberships
| No. | Membership |
|---|---|
| 1. | Member of Association of Lebanese Architects and Planner ( 1975 ) |
| 2. | Member of the Afghan association of Architects and Engineers. |
| 3. | Chairman SWABAC ( South-West Afghanistan all NGO coordination) , 1988–1991 |
Awards
| No. | Award |
|---|---|
| 1. | Best Design awards, Yarmuk University, Jordan, 1977 |
| 2. | South-West Afghanistan Development Plan, Achievement award, US department of state. |
| 3. | Best Program for Urban Up-grading ; Awards of the Municipality of Lima, Peru, 2008. |
| 4. | UNHABITAT, Best achievement in Urban Development Award, 2008. |
He has fluency in Pashto, Dari, English, Urdu, Arabic and Armenian langague.
Minister Pashtun is father of two sons & three daughters. His brother, Khalid Pashtoon
Khalid Pashtoon
Khalid Pashtoon was elected to represent Kandahar Province in Afghanistan's Wolesi Jirga, the lower house of its National Legislature, in 2005. He is a member of the Pashtun ethnic group from the Barakzai tribe. A report on Kandahar prepared at the Navy Postgraduate School stated he attended the...
, was elected to represent Kandahar in the Wolesi Jirga in 2005.