Karim Khalili (Persian: کریم خلیلی; born 1950) is an Afghan politician serving as leader of the Hezb-e Wahdat Islami Afghanistan party.[1] Most recently he was Chief of the Afghan High Peace Council from 2017 until its dissolvement in 2019.[2] He was selected as a candidate for Second Vice President of Afghanistan in 2002 by Hamid Karzai; they were elected in 2004 and left office in 2014.[3] Since 1989, he has also been one of the main leaders of the Wahdat political party of Hazara.[4]

Karim Khalili
کریم خلیلی
Karim Khalili in 2018
Khalili in 2018
Chairman of the Afghan High Peace Council
Assumed office
6 June 2017
PresidentAshraf Ghani
Preceded byAhmed Gailani
Second Vice President of Afghanistan
In office
7 December 2004 – 29 September 2014
PresidentHamid Karzai
Preceded byAhmed Shakar Karkar
Succeeded bySarwar Danish
Personal details
Born1950 (age 73–74)
Maidan Wardak Province, Afghanistan
Political partyHezb-e Wahdat Islami Afghanistan
ProfessionPolitician, Hezbe Wahdat leader, former Mujahideen leader

Early life

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Khalili was born in the Maidan Wardak Province of Afghanistan in 1950 as either Muhammad Karim Khalili or Abdul Karim Khalili[5][2][6][7] and belongs to Hazara ethnic group.[8][9] He attended religious schools during his childhood and moved to Kabul in 1970 to continue his education.[10] He participated in the Afghanistan resistance during Soviet invasion. He also served as Minister of Finance of Afghanistan during the Mujahideen government in the early 1990s.[11]

Personal life

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He has two sons, the older of which is Mohammad Taqi Khalili, Afghanistan's Ambassador to Azerbaijan.[12]

References

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  1. ^ Hashim, Asad (12 January 2021). "Afghan Shia leader in Pakistan after killings of Hazara miners". Aljazeera. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Ghani Appoints Khalili As HPC Chief On Eve Of Peace Meeting". TOLOnews. n.d. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  3. ^ Richburg, Keith B. (27 July 2004). "Karzai Replaces Top Deputy On Ticket". The Washington Post. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  4. ^ "Karim Khalili (Hazara)". BBC. n.d. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  5. ^ "Conference on the disabled opens in Kabul". The New Humanitarian. 30 September 2002. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  6. ^ Central Intelligence Agency. The CIA World Factbook 2010. p. 2.
  7. ^ Gall, Carlotta (26 July 2004). "Afghan Leader Enters Presidential Race". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  8. ^ Gannon, Kathy (12 January 2021). "Afghan Shiite leader in Pakistan after killings of miners". Associated Press. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  9. ^ Nader, Alireza; Scotten, Ali G.; Rahmani, Ahmad Idrees; Stewart, Robert; Mahnad, Leila (2014). "Chapter 2: Iran and Afghanistan: A Complicated Relationship". Iran's Influence in Afghanistan: Implications for the U.S. drawdown. Book Publishers. p. 6. JSTOR 10.7249/j.ctt1287mjf.8.
  10. ^ "SECOND VICE PRESIDENT, KARIM KHALILI". Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - Warsaw. n.d. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  11. ^ Adamec, Ludwig W. Historical dictionary of Afghan wars, revolutions, and insurgencies. p. 195.
  12. ^ Hamdard, Azizullah (March 2015). "Nepotism detected in appointing diplomats". Pajhwok Afghan News. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
Political offices
Preceded by
Position created
Vice President of Afghanistan
2004–2014
Succeeded by