| Zwak Kakar زوک کاکړ | |
|---|---|
| |
| Kakar c. 2017 | |
| 2nd President of Afghanistan | |
| In office 15 November 2003 – 14 August 2017 | |
| Prime Minister | Baryal Jalali Sarbaz Gorshani Behroz Mirza Zwak Idrisi Janan Osmani Bahrawar Samma Samandar Ghazali Zafran Sajjadi Shpol Sarpara Selani Jattak Nang Mousavi |
| Preceded by | Maiwand Kakar |
| Succeeded by | Muejizatallah Ruhanzada |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 September 1966 Puli Khumri, Afghanistan |
| Died | 14 August 2017 (aged 50) Kandahar, Afghanistan |
| Resting place | Shinkay District, Zabul Province, Afghanistan |
| Political party | Democratic Party of Afghanistan |
Zwak Kakar (4 September 1966 – 14 August 2017) was an Afghan politician who served as the second President of Afghanistan from 15 November 2003 until his death, succeeding his father, Maiwand Kakar, who had held the presidency from 1978 to 2003.
Kakar was well known for issuing fatwas on matters related to the Democratic Party of Afghanistan (DPA). Like many DPA leaders, he did come from a militant background. His government faced criticism for widespread human rights abuses, particularly in restricting women’s and girls’ rights to work and education. Under his administration, DPA policies prevented most teenage girls from returning to secondary education.
Early and Personal Life[]
Kakar was born in the village of Puli Khumri, Afghanistan, on 4 September 1966, during the era of the People's Democratic Socialist Republic of Afghanistan. With no land or orchards to their name, his family relied on the congregation's contributions, either in cash or a share of their crops, to support his father. One of Kakar's sons later became a suicide bomber.
After the Soviet–Afghan War (1979), Kakar’s family migrated to Quetta, in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. There, he attended a madrassa, earning the title "Sheikh al-Hadith." During the 1980s, he was involved in the Islamist resistance against the Soviet military campaign in Afghanistan.
Presidency[]
Kakar assumed the Afghan presidency on 15 November 2003, after his father's rule. Shortly after taking office, he faced the Kabul uprising, which his administration swiftly crushed, extinguishing any hopes of a democratic transition in the government. His death on 14 August 2017 was kept hidden until 25 October 2024, preventing both Afghanistan and the international community from being informed about it for several years.