Sultan Ali Keshtmand

Sultan Ali Keshtmand ( May 22nd Kabul in 1935 ) is a former Afghan politician. He served twice as Prime Minister: 1981-1988 and 1989-1990 in the Soviet- backed Democratic Republic of Afghanistan ( 1978-1992 ).

Keshtmand is a member of the Hazara ethnic group. He studied economics at the University of Kabul. After he became a member of the socialist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan, he joined the moderate - Parchami faction within the PDPA, which was led by Babrak Karmal. Immediately after the coup d'état on 27 April 1978, the PDPA was under the leadership of Nur Muhammad Taraki with the ruling party. Karmal became deputy prime minister, Keshtmand Minister for Planning. But in August 1978, he lost his job again, as the radical Khalq faction won within the PDPA under Taraki absolute political influence. Keshtmand was arrested and accused of conspiracy against Prime Minister Taraki. He remained in custody, was sentenced to death and commuted to 15 years in prison. In prison he learned and some of his party comrades torture.

On December 25, 1979, Soviet troops marched into Afghanistan, Babrak Karmal was appointed by Moscow as president, and Keshtmand was released from prison. He returned to the Politburo of the PDPA and followed in 1980 the deposed Asadullah Sarwari, Office of the Prime Minister ( 1981-1988 and 1989-1990). After that, he was Vice President from 1990 to 1991 briefly. Before the fall of the socialist regime, he was released. He left Afghanistan first to Russia, then to Britain. Since then he stands up for the rights of the Hazaras against the majority of Pashtuns. He also published a book titled Yaad daashthaaye Syaasi wa Rooyidaadhaaye Taarikhi ( Political notes and historical events ), a representation of the era from 1979 to 1991 with autobiographical elements.

• Prime Minister (Afghanistan)
• Ministers (Afghanistan)
• Planning Minister
• Afghan
• Born in 1935
• Man