As the readers of The Muslim Times may recall I lived and worked in Afghanistan for 3 1/2 years in 1969 to 1972.

see https://themuslimtimes.info/2017/08/19/glimpses-into-the-life-of-a-global-nomad-part-four/

Today I would just like to recall some memories of my staff in the accounts department of the Afghan Swiss Trading Company. I held the position of Chief Accountant, but the staff called my Assistant ‘Mudir’ (Director) as in fact he was much older and more experienced than me.

He had an ‘interesting’ life. Well, it started with a lot of hardship. One of his class fellows shot and killed the previous King and as he was standing nearbye he was also arrested and put in jail for a few years. Must have been very hard. Upto the time I spent with him he did not comment on anything to do with Royal life.

He (among many things we discussed) explained to me the relationship between Afghans and Pakistanis. He recalled that when the British attacked Afghanistan their main military force consisted of Muslim Indians (which would now be Pakistanis). Therefore he said ‘how could we be friends with those whose ancesters attacked us?). Logical I suppose.

Also a large portion of Afghanistan is Pashto speaking and feels that the Pakistani Pashto speakers really should belong to Afghanistan. Again logical.

(The Head of Radio Kabul’s Urdu program mentioned to me that he spoke lots and lots about Pakhtunistan, but ‘I still do not know what it is supposed to be’).

An interesting incident relating to my dear Mudir Sahib was during the marriage of his daughter to the son of an ex Defence Minister. The marriage in 1971 took place in a hotel. Large party. In those days it was a ‘mixed party’, although automatically men would be on one side and ladies on the other.

The Imam performing the Nikah was also at the party. Now during the party the Imam asked ‘and how much would be the ‘Haq Mehr’. (dowry? The amount payable by the men to the wives). The father of the bride asked the groom’s family how much would they like to fix it. Then he said ‘my daughter is only worth that much’ and the amount was given higher and higher and still the father of the bride did not agree. Tension built up in the whole hotel room and guests were trying to listen to what was going on. Finally the groom asked ‘what DO YOU WANT?’ and then the father of the bride said ’33 Afghanis’. lHe explained, ‘either you will be nice to my daughter and no amount will be needed or you will not be nice, then you can just send her bac to me’). The tension collapsed in the room and the Nikah was finally performed.

What a great man he was. Yes, my Mudir Sahib. Abdullah was his name. I do not know what happened to him and his family during the coming turmoil in the country. Russian occupation. Mujahedin civil war ,,, He was older than me and therefore I do not think he experienced the American occupation as well.

May he rest in peace. And his daughter? Best wishes to her too… hope she is still happily married… whereever that may be now.

Kabul Afghanistan in the 1970s…