Afghanistan’s Governance

Part II

Afghanistan’s government terminologies are translated and transliterated in Dari.

Ministry of Justice (Wozarat e Adleyah وزارت عدلیه)

Minister of Justice (Wazir e Adleyah وزیر عدلیه)

          Minister of Justice reports to the President. Similar to the Department of Justice in the United States, Ministry of justice in Afghanistan is responsible for rule of law all over Afghanistan. This organization is responsible for hiring and firing of all the Judges at different levels of current organizational structure of Ministry of justice.

The Republic of Afghanistan is an Islamic State. A major task and responsibity of the ministry of justice is to maintain Sharya Laws and accommodate both secular part of the Afghan constitution with its Sharya aspect. As a result the bureaucracy of ministry of justice is designed in a manner to have departments on both civil and sharya laws.

There are different judges at the ministry of Justice with different types of responsibilities; Such as the Judges of the religious affairs (Qazi e Mahkamat e Sharaayat قاضی محکمات شرعیات ), Judges of the Commercial Affairs (Qazi e Mahkamat e Tujaraty قاضی محکمات تجارتی ) and Criminal Justice (Mahkamat e Jenaeeمحکما ت جنایی  ) 

 Judge (qaziقاضی  )

 Judges (quzat قضات )

Ministry of Defense (wozarat e defaa وزارت دفاع)

Minister of Defense (wazir e defaa وزیر دفاع )            

The Current minister of Defense assumed office Dec 23 2004 President Hamid Karzai Preceded by Mohammed Fahim. The Military of Afghanistan is controlled by the Ministry of Defense. This is an important branch of the central government. After the approval of Wolosi Jirga or Shura Mr. Rahim Wardak was appointed by the president of Afghanistan as a Minister of Defence. Rahim Wadak is a former mujahid and also received some military training in the United States. One of the main focuses of the Defence ministry is to disarm the militias and warlords since they are not cooperating with the authority of the central government.

Province Governor (wali e wolayat والی  ولایت )

In Afghanistan, the provincial governors are appointed by the president.  They are not elected by the people of the province.  There are various political groups that want to change the constitution and allow for the governors to be democratically elected by the people of the province.  It is not uncommon for governors to be removed or moved around frequently by the president

Province (wolayatولایت  )

Governor (Dari/Pashtu: hakem ya waali حاکم یا والی  )

District within the Province (Pashto/Dari nahyah ya woloswaliیا ناحیه    ولسوالی)

Sub-Governor (Woloswalولسوال  )

Ministries in Afghanistan (وزارتخانه ها در افغانستان)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs (wozarat e kharejah وزارت خارجه)

Ministry of Justice (wozarat e adleeya وزارت عد لیه )

Ministry of Defense (wozarat e defaa دفاع )

Ministry of State Security (wozarat e amnyat e mili امنیت ملی )

Ministry of the Interior (wozarat e dakhelah داخله )

Ministry of Frontiers, Nationality and Tribal Affairs (sahadat, qabayl wa aqwamصحت، قبا یل وه اقوام )

Ministry of Finance (wozarat e malya مالیه )

Ministry of Education (wozarat e maaref معارف )

Ministry of Higher Education (wozarat e taleemat e aaleeتعلیمات عا لی )

Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (wozarat e mokhaberatمخابرات )

Ministry of Information and Culture (wozarat e matbuaat wa farhang (مطبوعات وه فرهنګ  

Ministry of Commerce and Industries (wozarat e tojarat wa sunaat تجارت وه صنعت ) 

Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation & Livestock (zeraat, abyaree wa maldaree زراعت، آبیاری وه مالداری)

Ministry of Water and Power (wozarat e aab wa barq آب وه برق )

Ministry of Public Health (wozarat e sehat e aama صحت عامه )

Ministry of mines and industry (wozarat e maadenمعدن  )

Ministry of Islamic Affairs (wozarat e shoon e islamei شوون اسلامی )

Ministry of Public Works (wozarat e fawaed e aamaفواعد عامه )

Note: Since the start of the Karzai government the Afghan bureaucracy has taken a dynamic phase.  Based on reality and needs, new mysteries are added or renamed. Therefore the list provided is continuously in the process of transition and change.