The Cabinet of Afghanistan (also known as the Council of Ministers) is the executive body of the government of the country, responsible for day-to-day governance and the implementation of policy set by the Leadership. In its modern form it has existed since the beginning of the reign of Emir Amanullah Khan in 1919.
The cabinet is headed by the prime minister—who serves as the nation's head of government—and his deputies, and consists of the heads and deputy heads of the government ministries.
Predecessors to a cabinet 18th century When Ahmad Shah Durrani started ruling over his empire in 1747, he had no administrative experience, nor did much of his closest advisors. As a result, he chose to adopt a government style similar to the Mughals and Safavids, with his main idea of a government based on an absolute monarchy. A tribal council ruled in hand with Ahmad Shah as well, serving as a form of cabinet. However, Ahmad Shah had made the positions of his cabinet hereditary, thus making it difficult to dismiss advisors without causing conflict. Their roles, however, were mostly purely de jure, and tasks were delegated to subordinates.
His grandson Zaman Shah had wanted a ministry and cabinet that would be loyal to him and of his people, as a result he had replaced the old ministry of his father Timur Shah and replaced them with loyal Pashtuns devoted to himself, strengthening his position on the throne.
19th century Under Emir Sher Ali Khan, Afghanistan saw its first formal cabinet structure. He first established a twelve-member consultative state council (the first such body since Ahmad Shah Durrani) composed of civic leaders and military officers of his own selection, though it faded in practice during the latter years of his reign. In 1873, on the occasion of the official nomination of Sardar Abdullah Jan as heir apparent, the Emir enlarged the executive branch and promoted a set of officials to ministerial positions with Pashto titles. He did not include any member of the royal Mohammadzai dynasty. Instead, he explicitly applied the principle of personal qualification in his appointments. The cabinet's effectiveness was demonstrated in the turbulent period surrounding the amir's death, when Prime Minister Nur Mohammad Khan Foshanji and Finance Minister Habib Allah Wardak played stabilizing roles.
+ Foshanji cabinet Portfolio Name Year(s) Affiliation Origin Role Prime Minister Nur Mohammad Shah Foshanji 1873 – before 21 February 1879 Key ministries Foreign Affairs Aersala Khan Ghilzay 1873 – before 21 February 1879 pro-Sher Ali War Hussayn 'Ali Khan 1873 – before 21 February 1879 pro-Sher Ali Home Affairs 'Asmat Allah Khan Ghilzay 1873 – before 21 February 1879 pro-Sher Ali Finance Habib Allah Khan Wardakalternative name(s): Mustaufi Habib Allah Wardak. 1873 – 21 February 1879 pro-Sher Ali Treasury Ahmad 'Ali Khan Timuri 1873 – before 21 February 1879 pro-Sher Ali Chief Secretary Mohammad Hassan Khan 1873 – before 21 February 1879 pro-Sher Ali Qizilbash
+ Yaqub Khan cabinet Portfolio Name Year(s) Affiliation Origin Role Key ministries External Affairs Shah Mohammad Khan before – after 14 September 1879 pro-Yaqub Khan Finance Habib Allah Khan Wardak 21 February – after 14 September 1879 pro-Yaqub Khan
When Emir Abdur Rahman Khan came to power in Kabul in 1880, the central administration consisted of only ten clerks overseen by a single official. Using the military branch as a supervisory body, he established a civil administration that, in a modified form, remains in place today. He introduced institutions that were precursors to modern ministries, such as the Treasury Board, Board of Trade, Bureau of Justice and Police, Department of Public Works, Office of Posts and Communications, Department of Education, and Department of Medicine. Despite his autocratic rule, Abdur Rahman Khan created a Supreme Council, similar to a modern cabinet.
However, this council had no prime minister and no real power, serving only in an advisory capacity. Its members included high-ranking officials like the lord chamberlain ('Ishik Aghasi' or Shahghasi), the seal keeper, the chief secretary, secretaries appointed by the Amir, officers of the Royal Guard, the treasurer of the Amir's private wealth, the secretary of state for War, regional secretaries of state, the postmaster general, the commander-in-chief, the master of the horse, the Kotwal (equivalent to an Interior Minister), the accountant general, the chief chamberlain, the superintendent of the armory, and heads of the Trade and Education Boards.
Early 20th century In 1914, counselors advised Emir Habibullah Khan on different political issues and had some form of authority. With Emir Amanullah Khan's ascension to the throne on 28 February 1919, amidst numerous political reforms, the Council of Ministers, headed by Amanullah himself, was established, creating the first well-structured cabinet in the history of Afghanistan.PART I: THE BUILDING OF THE STATE. CHAPTER 1The 'Iron Amir': Abdur Rahman Khan. (1880- 1901)
Emirate/Kingdom (1919–1973) Quddus/Ahmad cabinet (1919–1929) + Quddus Cabinet Portfolio Name Year(s) Role Prime Minister Abdul Quddus Khanalternative name(s): Sardar Abdul Quddus Khan, Abdul Quddus Etemadi, Abdul Quddus. 28 February 1919 – 25 October 1927Shir Ahmad Khanalternative name(s): (Sardar) Shir Ahmad, Shir Ahmad Sura-i-Milli. 25 October 1927 – 17 January 1929some sources say Shir Ahmad Khan assumed office in September 1928: . President of Assembly did not exist until April 1924Shir Ahmad Khan April 1924 – December 1927 Muhammad Yaqub December 1927 – 17 January 1929 Key ministriesForeign Affairs Mahmud Tarzialternative name(s): Sirdar-i-‘Ala’ Mahmud Beg Khan Tarzi. 28 February 1919 – June 1922Muhammad Wali Khan Darwazialternative name(s): Muhammad Wali, Sirdar-i-‘Ala’ Muhammad Wali Khan. June 1922 – April 1924Shir Ahmad Khan (acting) April – September 1924Mahmud Tarzi September 1924 – January 1927Ghulam Siddiq Khan Charkhialternative name(s): Ghulam Siddiq Charkhi, Sirdar-i-‘Ala’ Gulam Siddiq Khan. (acting) January – November 1927Muhammad Wali Khan Darwazi (acting) November 1927 – November 1928League of Nations: Afghanistan MinistersGhulam Siddiq Khan Charkhi November 1928 – 17 January 1929 War did not exist until May 1919Mohammad Nadir Khanalternative name(s): Muhammad Nadir, Mohammad Nadir Shah. May 1919 – January 1922Mohammad Hashim Khanalternative name(s): Muhammad Hashim Khan, Muhammad Hashim. January – September 1922Muhammad Nadir Khan September 1922 – April 1924Muhammad Wali Khan Darwazi (acting) April – June 1924Abdul Aziz Barakzai June 1924 – 17 January 1929 Interior did not exist until August 1919Ali Ahmad Khanalternative name(s): Ali Ahmad Loinab. August 1919 – June 1925Abdul Aziz Barakzai June 1925 – 1928Abdul Ahad Wardakalternative name(s): Abdul Ahad. 1928 – 17 January 1929 Justice Muhammad Ibrahim 1919 – 1924 Hayatullah Khan 1924 – 17 January 1929 other ministries Commerce did not exist until March 1919Ghulam Muhammad Wardak March 1919 – April 1924 Abdul Hadi Dawialternative name(s): Abdul Hadi Dawai. April 1924 – 1928 Ali Muhammad 1928 – 17 Januar 1929 Education Abdur Rahman Khanalternative name(s): Abdur Rahman. 1919 Abdul Habib Khanalternative name(s): Habibullah Khan. 1919 Muhammad Sulaiman ? Hayatullah Khan ? Faiz Mohammad Khan Zikeria 1924 – 17 January 1929 TranscriptionsSuperintendency with the rank of a ministry. The head of the superintendency is called the Superintendent. Haji Nizamuddin Khan 1919 – ? Revenue Mirza Mahmud ? Mir Muhammad Hashim 1922 – 17 January 1929 Health did not exist until 1923Mohammed Kabir Ludin 1923 – 17 January 1929 Minister of State for Frontier and Tribe Affairs did not exist until March 1926Haji Muhammad Akbar March 1926 – 17 January 1929
Saqqawist cabinet (1929) Two days after King Inayatullah Khan abdicated his throne to Bacha-i-Saqao and his Saqqawist regime, the new rulers formed a cabinet, abolishing the Ministry of Trade, the General Directorate of Health, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Justice as well as other ministries. + Saqqawist cabinet Portfolio Name Year(s) Affiliation Origin Role Prime Minister unclearIt is not clear whether a Prime Minister actually existed in the Saqqawist regime or not. Even though the Indiana University Bloomington called Shir Giyan Prime Minister during that time, neither this role nor the name Shir Giyan have ever been specified in any other source. It is more likely that the role of Minister of Court, which according to Muhammad & McChesney (1999) was held by an individual named Shayr Jan, has been misinterpreted as being the Prime Minister of the Saqqawist government. 19 January – 13 October 1929 Saqqawist Tajik Key ministries Foreign Affairs Ata al-Haqq 19 January – 13 October 1929 Saqqawist Tajik DefenseThere are contradictory claims by Muhammad & McChesney (1999) that there also was a Ministry of War distinct from the Ministry of Defense and that Muhammad Mahfuz was the Minister of War, but in the same book it is said that Mahfuz was Deputy Minister of War. Because later in another chapter the title wazir-i jang is translated as "minister of defense" even though literally meaning "minister of war", it is likely that the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of War are the same ministry, of which Mahfuz was the Deputy Minister. Sayyid Husayn 19 January – before 24 March 1929 Saqqawist Tajik Purdil Khan before 24 March – 13 October 1929 Saqqawist Tajik Interior Affairs Abd al-Ghafur Khan 19 January – 13 October 1929 Saqqawist Tajik Finance Mirza Mujtaba Khan 19 January – 13 October 1929 Saqqawist Tajik
First Hashim cabinet (1929–1933) + Hashim Cabinet until Portfolio Name Year(s) Role Prime Minister Mohammad Hashim Khan 9 November 1929 – 8 November 1933 Key ministries Foreign Affairs Faiz Mohammad Khan Zikeria 9 November 1929 – 8 November 1933 War Shah Mahmud Khan 9 November 1929 – 8 November 1933 Interior Mohammad Hashim Khan 9 November 1929 – 1930 Mohammad Gul Khan Momand 1930 – 8 November 1933Justice Fazl Umar Mujaddidi 9 November 1929 – 1932 Fazl Ahmad Mujaddidi 1932 – 8 November 1933 Finance Muhammad Ayyub 9 November 1929 – 8 November 1933 other ministriesCommerce Haji Muhammad Akbar 9 November 1929 – 1931 Mirza Muhammad Yaftali 1931 – 8 November 1933 Education Ali Muhammad 9 November 1929 – 8 November 1933 Health Muhammad Akbar 9 November 1929 – 8 November 1933 Posts, Telegraph and Telephone did not exist until 1932Rahimullah 1932 – 8 November 1933
Second Hashim cabinet (1933–1946)