Abdul Qadir Dagarwal

Colonel Abdul Qadir Dagarwal was the leader of the Afghan Air Force squadrons that attacked the Radio-TV Station during the 1978 Coup that started the Saur Revolution.

Ironically, he also participated in the 1973 Coup that created the Republic of Afghanistan under the Presidency of Mohammad Daoud Khan. He served as the leader of the country for 3 days, when the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan took power and declared the foundation of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.

He was born in 1944 in Herat and trained as a pilot in the USSR.

The Republican Revolution of 1973

Former Prime Minister Mohammad Daoud Khan led the coup, but General Abdul Mustaghni, who had been chief of staff of the army, was also reported to have been active in the coup. The general, however, was overshadowed by younger officers, who included a Tajik major, Abdul Qadir Dagarwal, and engineer Pacha Gul Wafadar, both of the air force, and Mohammed Aslam Watanjar and Faiz Mohammed from the Army.

Daud promised radical land reform, the legalisation of political parties and other reforms. Parcham was offered four ministers in Daud's government. As a Parcham member, Qadir was nominated vice-commander of the Afghan Air Force, while another Parcham supporter, Major Zia Mohammadzi Zia, was appointed head of the Afghan Army.

However, by 1974 Daud posted the Parcham ministers to overseas diplomatic postings. Qadir was thus demoted to head of Kabul's Military abattoir. Many Parcham supporters, including Major Qadir, shifted allegiance to Khalq.

Suddenly in April 1978, Daud and his hardline interior minister, General Abdul Nuristani, launched a sharp government crackdown on the PDPA. It proved to be a miscalculation. Major Qadir and Colonel Mohammad Aslam Watanjar, another leading PDPA member in the military, narrowly escaped arrest and early on April 27 Hafizullah Amin was able to smuggle out the order for the insurrection to begin.

The Saur Revolution

He also ordered the attack against the Arg, and against the Royal Palace of President Mohammad Daud. The tank commander on the ground was Colonel Aslam Watanjar, of the first battalion of the 4th tank brigade. Together, the troops under their command took Kabul. The government fell, and Daud was killed.

At 7:00 P.M. on April 27, Qader made an announcement over Radio Afghanistan, in the Dari language, that a Revolutionary Council of the Armed Forces had been established, with himself at its head. The council's initial statement of principles, issued late in the evening of April 27, was a noncommittal affirmation of Islamic, democratic, and nonaligned ideals:

:"For the first time in the history of Afghanistan", the radio declared, "the last remnants of monarchy, tyranny, despotism ... has ended, and all powers of the state are in the hands of the people of Afghanistan."

The Revolutionary Council was formed by himself, Hafizullah Amin, and Major Mohammad Aslam Watanjar, it assumed the control of the country until a civilian government was formed.

On April 30 the newly created PDPA's Revolutionary Council (with Nur Mohammad Taraki and Babrak Karmal in its leadership) issued the first of a series of fateful decrees. The decree formally abolished the military’s revolutionary council. A second decree, issued on May 1, named the members of the first cabinet that included Qader as the regime's Minister of Defense.

Member of the Khalqist Government

He became minister of defense (in charge of the Armed Forces of Afghanistan), for three months in May 1978. On May 6, Qadir asked the Soviets for advice on how to deal with all the people under arrest.

On August 17, Qadir, still defense minister, was arrested for his part in a conspiracy that allegedly had been organized by the Parcham exiles abroad. Since Abdul Qadir remained popular in the military, President Taraki did not dared to kill him.

The policy of Taraki and Amin to get rid of people they considered unsuitable in order to concentrate all power in their own hands became very apparent. Prime Minister Amin later reported:

"The party was unable to make Qadir a true Marxist-Leninist, prepared to withstand any negative influence. That was our mistake."

Member of the Parchami Government

Freed when Babrak Karmal came to power, he was restored to his party positions. He served once again as Minister of Defense (1982- 1985) during the Babrak Administration.

After the Soviet Invasion, Kabul was put in a state of siege. The bridges were blocked, barriers and hidden ambushes were set up on all the roads leading into the city. Qadir was made commander of the city.

As part of the changes in the leadership of the country, he resigned from the Politburo in November 1985, and a year later was appointed Ambassador to Poland by President Mohammad Najibullah.

See also

*Afghan Air Force
*Afghan Defense Ministry
*Democratic Republic of Afghanistan

External links

* [http://english.pravda.ru/hotspots/2001/09/21/15887.html Qadir in an interview with Pravda.ru]