Haji Nasrullah Baryalai Arsalai
Encyclopedia
Haji Nasrullah Baryalai Arsalai (born 3 March 1958) is an Afghan politician, who was a candidate during Afghanistan's 2009 Presidential election.
He is the brother of former legendary commander Abdul Haq
who was executed by the Taliban in 2001 He is also the brother of former Vice President and Governor of Ningarhar Haji Abdul Qadir
and the brother of the current governor of Kabul Haji Din Mohammad
.
to help organize underground resistance cells against the Soviet occupation
and its Afghan collaborators in Nangarhar and Kabul
. In 1981, he migrated to Germany
as a refugee
and began conducting political activities in support of the jihad
against the Soviets. This involved establishing the Hezb-e Islami (Khalis) office in Germany and editing a newspaper "Al hijrat o al jihad." He conducted multiple fact-finding missions around Pakistan
and Afghanistan during the period of Soviet occupation until 1989.
In February 1989, Arsalai participated as a delegate in the Rawalpindi
shura
to select the mujahideen
's interim government. From 1989-1991, he served as political and cultural aide to Commander Abdul Haq, based in Peshawar
. He ran the administration of the resistance front, published a weekly review of political and military developments and maintained his political contacts with Afghans and the diplomatic community. In this role, Arsalai also ran the administration for an important mujahideen initiative, the nationwide shura of mujahideen commanders, sar ta sari.
From 1993-1994, Arsalai ran the Liaison Office of Eastern Afghanistan in Peshawar, an Afghan initiative to coordinate humanitarian assistance to the east of the country during a period when Haji Abdul Qadir
headed the administration in Jalalabad
. Appalled by the factional fighting among the mujahideen groups and the eventual rise of the Taliban, Arsalai returned to Germany in 1994, where he established a successful family business in Germany. He worked full time on his business until 26 October 2001, the day that Abdul Haq was killed by the Taliban for organizing uprisings against them.
From 2002-2009, Arsalai was chief organizer of the People's Advisory Shura (Wolesi Mashvurati Shura), a mass movement of people in Nangarhar and Eastern Afghanistan aimed to mobilize popular participation in the Bonn political process. Significant achievements of this movement included organizing the consultations in Eastern Afghanistan on drafting of the constitution (2003), facilitating recruitment to the new Afghan National Army
and opposing opium cultivation
. In 2002, he established a monthly newspaper "Afghan Yawwalay" (Afghan unity).
Haji Nasrullah Arsalai is fluent in Pashto, Dari, English
and German
.
In his 2009 Presidential candidacy his running mates were Abdul Baqi Turkistani
and Sayed Mohammad Alam.
Nasrullah withdrew, and asked his supporters to vote for Abdullah Abdullah
, who ended up ranking second.
Life
Haji Nasrullah Arsalai, known as Baryalai (Victorious), is from a distinguished Afghan family with a long record of service. Their forefather Arsala Khan was Foreign Minister of Afghanistan under the famous king Amir Sher Ali and was a leader of resistance to the British in the second Anglo-Afghan War. Since the end of the jihad he has developed a series of businesses in Afghanistan. Abroad he has worked as a community organiser. He is not a militia leader.He is the brother of former legendary commander Abdul Haq
Abdul Haq (Afghan leader)
Abdul Haq was an Afghan Pashtun mujahideen commander who fought against the Soviets and Afghan communists during the Soviet-Afghan War...
who was executed by the Taliban in 2001 He is also the brother of former Vice President and Governor of Ningarhar Haji Abdul Qadir
Abdul Qadir (Afghan leader)
Hajji Abdul Qadir Arsala was a former anti-Taliban leader in the United Islamic Front in Afghanistan...
and the brother of the current governor of Kabul Haji Din Mohammad
Haji Din Mohammad
Hajji Din Mohammad is a politician in Afghanistan, who first served as the Governor of Nangarhar Province followed by Governor of Kabul Province. He comes from a distinguished Pashtun family which has served the Afghan nation for more than 150 years. His great-grandfather, Wazir Arsala Khan, served...
.
Political activities
In 1980, Arsalai joined his brother Abdul HaqAbdul Haq (Afghan leader)
Abdul Haq was an Afghan Pashtun mujahideen commander who fought against the Soviets and Afghan communists during the Soviet-Afghan War...
to help organize underground resistance cells against the Soviet occupation
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...
and its Afghan collaborators in Nangarhar and 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 1981, he migrated to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
as a refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
and began conducting political activities in support of the jihad
Jihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
against the Soviets. This involved establishing the Hezb-e Islami (Khalis) office in Germany and editing a newspaper "Al hijrat o al jihad." He conducted multiple fact-finding missions around 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...
and Afghanistan during the period of Soviet occupation until 1989.
In February 1989, Arsalai participated as a delegate in the Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...
shura
Shura
Shura is an Arabic word for "consultation". The Quran and Muhammad encourage Muslims to decide their affairs in consultation with those who will be affected by that decision....
to select the mujahideen
Islamic Unity of Afghanistan Mujahideen
The Islamic Unity of Afghanistan Mujahideen was an Afghan organization formed in May 1985 by the seven Afghan mujahideen parties fighting against the Soviet and Democratic Republic of Afghanistan forces in the Soviet-Afghan War...
's interim government. From 1989-1991, he served as political and cultural aide to Commander Abdul Haq, based 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....
. He ran the administration of the resistance front, published a weekly review of political and military developments and maintained his political contacts with Afghans and the diplomatic community. In this role, Arsalai also ran the administration for an important mujahideen initiative, the nationwide shura of mujahideen commanders, sar ta sari.
From 1993-1994, Arsalai ran the Liaison Office of Eastern Afghanistan in Peshawar, an Afghan initiative to coordinate humanitarian assistance to the east of the country during a period when Haji Abdul Qadir
Abdul Qadir (Afghan leader)
Hajji Abdul Qadir Arsala was a former anti-Taliban leader in the United Islamic Front in Afghanistan...
headed the administration 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...
. Appalled by the factional fighting among the mujahideen groups and the eventual rise of the Taliban, Arsalai returned to Germany in 1994, where he established a successful family business in Germany. He worked full time on his business until 26 October 2001, the day that Abdul Haq was killed by the Taliban for organizing uprisings against them.
From 2002-2009, Arsalai was chief organizer of the People's Advisory Shura (Wolesi Mashvurati Shura), a mass movement of people in Nangarhar and Eastern Afghanistan aimed to mobilize popular participation in the Bonn political process. Significant achievements of this movement included organizing the consultations in Eastern Afghanistan on drafting of the constitution (2003), facilitating recruitment to the new Afghan National Army
Afghan National Army
The Afghan National Army is a service branch of the military of Afghanistan, which is currently trained by the coalition forces to ultimately take the role in land-based military operations in Afghanistan. , the Afghan National Army is divided into seven regional Corps. The strength of the Afghan...
and opposing opium cultivation
Opium production in Afghanistan
Afghanistan has been the greatest illicit opium producer in the entire world, ahead of Burma and the "Golden Triangle" since 1992, excluding the year 2001. Afghanistan is the main producer of opium in the "Golden Crescent". Opium production in Afghanistan has been on the rise since U.S....
. In 2002, he established a monthly newspaper "Afghan Yawwalay" (Afghan unity).
Haji Nasrullah Arsalai is fluent in Pashto, Dari, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
.
In his 2009 Presidential candidacy his running mates were Abdul Baqi Turkistani
Abdul Baqi Turkistani
Abdul Baqi Turkistani is a citizen of Afghanistan who has served as both a militia leader and a politician.He was a subordinate of Afghan Northern Alliance leader General Dostum during the civil war with the Taliban....
and Sayed Mohammad Alam.
Nasrullah withdrew, and asked his supporters to vote for Abdullah Abdullah
Abdullah Abdullah
Abdullah Abdullah is an Afghan politician and a doctor of medicine. He was an adviser and friend to Ahmad Shah Massoud, legendary anti-Taliban leader and commander known as the "Lion of Panjshir". After the fall of the Taliban regime, Dr. Abdullah served as Afghanistan's Foreign Minister from 2001...
, who ended up ranking second.
External links
- Haji Nasrullah Baryalai's Homepage: : hajibaryalai.com