Goshta District

Goshta is a district in the northeast of Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, bordering on Pakistan. Its population, which is 100% Pashtun, was estimated at 160,000 in 2002, of whom 30,000 were children under 12. The district centre is the village of Goshta, on the Kunar River.

Villages and tribes

Goshta is the home to two biggest tribes of the similarroot called Momand,Khwaizi and Baize. These are those tribes that live in Goshta with many sub tribes.. Big village includes Goshta, Khwaizi, Arkhai, Warsak, Ragha, Dawar khel, Khoga Khel, Mama Khel, Ala Khail,Tootkai, and Bachahe Ghondey.

Agriculture

People’s biggest source of income is agriculture in Goshta District. They grow wheat, corn, sugar cans, and rice. Like other parts of Afghanistan, Goshta’s residents do not have any kind of cutting age water supply system for their crops. They have traditionally drained water from the Konar riverwhich flows alongside the district.

Education

According to a survey held by Saanga, a local magazine, in 2003, 7% of the population is educated. There are a couple of religious schools (Madrassa) too. Goshta has only one high school for boys (Abdul Hameed Momand High School, and 15 primary schools (only 3 of them are for girls).

Politics

The majority of the people of Goshta are members of Afghan Millat political party, however, there are followers of Khalq Communist Party as well as Mujahedeen political movements.

Sports

Cricket, volleyball, swimming, wrestling, and local games called Khusay, Dabee Toona (a game similar to baseball), and Angorey are the mostly played sports in the region.

Wars

Goshta has witnessed many wars, and has been a field of war against British Forces during nineteenth century, Soviet war in late nineteen seventies, and war on terror in 2001. British Forces were drawn back by the army of local people who voluntarily participated in war under the command of Chaknawar Mullah Sahib. Local people took their weapons to defend their homeland against Russians. The signs of the battle can still be seen in the form of ruins left behind. like all over Afghanistan, clinics, mosques, bridges, roads, schools and houses are destroyed in Goshta too. The coward war left many dead, disabled, widows, and orphans.

And finally the worst war took place. This war called war on terror, which terribly affected and torn Goshta apart. Taking advantage of war on terror and having the reason of hunting Al-Qaeda members on the border with Afghanistan, Pakistani forces moved forward and captured more than 15 percent of Goshta’s land. Various Saanga magazine and IWPR news agency’s reports in 2003-2005 indicate that Pakistan has increasingly moved forward to seize Goshta’s tribal villages such as Mazari Cheena, Koda Khel, Kong, Atta, Anargey, Shan Dara, Qotay, and Ashraf Meana.

Famous People

In spite the fact that Goshta is a backward area, people are keen to play their role in politics, and gain a proud status for their home district.

Sial Momand

Sial Momand was a very famous poet of late nineties. He died in the age of 80 in 2000. He had left his poetry and geographic books.

Said Gulab Sabawon

Said Gulab Sabawon is a writer and cherished tribal leader. In order to encourage and gain support for Jihad, he had written several articles against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Sabawoon is currently working in the ministry of Tribal Affairs in Kabul.

Roohul Amin Bashir

Roohul Amin Bashir was born in Khwaizi (Khwajazi) village of Goshta in 1950 to Hajji Habiburrihman, well known as Ghalji Mullah. Graduated from Teaching College of Nangarhar, he has served as a teacher, headmaster, and education officer in different provinces of Afghanistan. Roohul Amin, who is also known as human rights activist, immigrated to Pakistan during the Russian invasion. He and his family lived in Ekka Ghund Camp in horrible refuge circumstances. However he never gave up, and continued to serve his people as a health worker through Save the Children Fund, a British NGO (Non Government Organization). Roohul Amin then moved to USAID (United States Agency for International Development), and served as Educational Commissioner. Although he faced many problems from the local Afghan warolrds who were running extinct schools (After the withdrawal of Soviet Union from Afghanistan, the warlords began to establish schools in order to achieve International funds. These schools were often fake and never existed but only in papers.), but they didn’t stop Amin to reveal the facts. Goshta’s people elected Roohul Amin twice for emergent Loya Jirgah (grand Council), and for Loya Jirgah for constitution in 2001 and 2002. The grand councils held after the fall of Taliban and during the new government, headed by Hamid Karzai. He is currently working as Educational Supervisor in ADA (Afghan Development Agency), an international NGO working for the betterment of education in the country.

Engineer Noorul Amin

Noorul Amin, born in Khwaizi village of Goshta, is the second elder son of Roohul Amin Bashir. He has graduated from Kabul University and currently working as civil engineer in National Solidarity Program (NSP), Afghan government program initiated by the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD). His status in NSP earned Goshta some needy reconstruction projects, such as new clinics and schools.

Bashir Ahmad Gwakh

Bashir Ahmad Gwakh, born in Khwaizi village of Goshta on February 04, 1982, is a Pashto writer, editor, and journalist. Bashir, the third son of intellectual Roohul Amin Bashir, is well known for poetic and journalistic work. Bashir Ahmad ran a school magazine during his high school. He continued his job as chief editor of Mashriq cultural magazine along with university studies. As Bashir family was going through bad economical situations he decided to become a doctor. Bashir was aware of the fact that doctors earn more money than any other professional in Afghanistan. Even though Bashir studied dental medicine at Nangarhar Health Sciences Institute in 2003, he never practiced that. Instead he worked as journalist which he was doing since his childhood. He was hired as staff correspondent by the leading international London based news agency IWPR (Institute for War and Peace Reporting). Therefore, he preferred to work in his dream field of journalism instead of medical. Afterwards he cooperated in establishing Pajhwak Afghan News Agency (PAN). PAN is the first independent news agency in Afghanistan that provides daily news electronically through internet. Bashir worked as senior reporter there for a couple of years and then joined Sayara Media and Communication, a French NGO as media trainer. Bashir Ahmad Gwakh served as an editor for ISAF/NATO Sada-e-Azadi newspaper. Bashir Ahmad Gwakh published his poetry Sta Yad Zama Malgarai (ستا ياد زما ملګری] ـ پښتو] ) (Your Memories are my Companions) in 2007, which acclaimed highly applause from critics. He has been active in Afghan media since he was teenager. His cultural, political, news and current affairs analysis have been appeared in various newspapers, magazines, and websites. He has been interviewed for several times in radio and TV programs. In his recent interview with liberty Radio, Bashir noted that his two novels, one poetry collection, and one journalism guide book is ready to be published. Bashir Ahmad is currently busy gaining his Masters degree in Public Communication at Saint Rose College, Albany New York.

Dr. Abdullah Momand

Dr. Momand is the head of Afghan Millat Party in Goshta district. He is also known for his brilliant medical surgery skills. Apart from his professional talent, Dr. Abdullah is a dear and beloved tribal leader.

Firdoos Khan

Born in Goshtah, Firdoos Khan had close relations with Dr. Najibullah, the last communist president in Afghanistan, and who was later killed by Taliban. After the collapse of communist regime he found relationship with Pakistani government. He became the tribe elder in the Pakistani side of the border. Pakistan backed Firdoos and his family by giving them monthly wages, floors, and weapons. He died in 2001 in the age of 88, and buried in Goshta.

Momand Khan

Momand Khan was the eldest son of Firdoos Khan. As his father has close ties with Dr. Najibullah, he served in Afghan government military voluntarily. However then left the government and joined Mujahedeen. He was assassinated by a young man Abdullah in Jalal Abad city. Abdullah was the brother of one of Momand’s colleagues who was killed by Momand. (Dates of the events are not in hand.)

Faraidoon Momand

Faraidoon Momand is the second son of Firdoos Khan. He had been widely blamed for close relationships with Pakistani intelligence agency ISI. He has served as the director of The Directorate of Tribal Affairs of Nangarhar Province from 2005 to 2006. He is currently workin as a member of Afghan parliament.

Condemn by Hizbullah MomandThe Blam is totally wrong that he has relation with Pakistani Ineligence Agency, but he is famous/popular person, and he is also appointed by Mohmmand People for JARGA across border.The both side of the border people are belong to one Tribe Called MOMOND,and they have deep relation each others,and several cases,that One brother is live,afghanistan side,and other one is the across the border.

References

*http://www.sada-e-azadi.net
*http://www.tolafghan.com/mor
*http://www.iwpr.net

External links

* [http://www.aims.org.af/maps/district/nangarhar/goshta.pdf Map of Goshta district] (PDF)