Vice President of Afghanistan


The vice president of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was the second highest political position attainable in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The vice presidents were elected on the same ticket as the president. A presidential candidate was responsible for nominating two candidates for vice president before the election.
Although Sardar Mohammad Dawood Khan was the founder of the Republic in Afghanistan and the first president of Afghanistan; however, the position of Vice president was, for the first time, created in Afghanistan by King Amanullah Khan when he declared a constitutional monarchy in 1926 and established the position of "Yawar" and appointed Mahmoud Khan Shaghasi as the "First Deputy Assistant" as the first appointee of this position.
TitleNameTook officeLeft officeNotes
First Deputy AssistanMahmoud Khan ShaghasiJune 1926January 1929Amanullah Khan declared a constitutional monarchy in 1926 and created the position of "First Deputy Assistant", and appointed Mahmoud Khan Shaghasi to that position.

[Republic of Afghanistan (1973—1978)]

TitleNameTook officeLeft officePresidentNotes
Vice PresidentSayyid Abdulillah19 February 197829 April 1978Mohammed Daoud KhanSimultaneously served as minister of finance; killed in the Saur Revolution.

[Democratic Republic of Afghanistan]

The deputy head of state was the vice chairman of the Revolutionary Council between April 1978 and April 1988.
TitleNameTook officeLeft officeChairman
Vice Chairman of the Revolutionary CouncilBabrak Karmal1 May 1978June 1978Nur Muhammad Taraki
Vice Chairman of the Revolutionary CouncilAssadullah Sarwari1978??Nur Muhammad Taraki
Vice Chairman of the Revolutionary CouncilHafizullah AminMarch 1979September 1979Nur Muhammad Taraki
Vice Chairman of the Revolutionary CouncilSultan Ali KeshtmandDecember 19791981Hafizullah Amin
Vice Chairman of the Revolutionary CouncilAssadullah SarwariDecember 1979June 1980Babrak Karmal
Vice Chairman of the Revolutionary CouncilNur Ahmed Nur18 June 19811983Babrak Karmal
Vice Chairman of the Revolutionary CouncilAbdul Rashid Arian18 June 19811988Babrak Karmal / Mohammad Najibullah
Vice Chairman of the Revolutionary CouncilAbdul Qader1981November 1985Babrak Karmal
Vice Chairman of the Revolutionary CouncilGul Aqa1983November 1986Babrak Karmal
Vice Chairman of the Revolutionary CouncilHaji Mohammad ChamkaniJanuary 1986April 1988Babrak Karmal / Mohammad Najibullah

Republic of Afghanistan">Republic of Afghanistan (1978–1992)">Republic of Afghanistan

Vice presidents were appointed after the new constitution and elections took place.
Four vice presidents were appointed by president and approved by the National Assembly.
TitleNameTook officeLeft officePresidentNotes
Vice PresidentAbdul Rahim HatifMay 1988April 1992Mohammad NajibullahFirst vice president July 1991 – April 1992.
Vice PresidentMohammed RafieMay 1988April 1992Mohammad Najibullah
Vice PresidentAbdul Hamid MohtatMay 1988April 1992Mohammad Najibullah
Vice PresidentAbdul Wahed SarābiMay 1988April 1992Mohammad NajibullahFirst vice president January 1991 – July 1991.
Vice PresidentSultan Ali KeshtmandMay 1990April 1991Mohammad NajibullahFirst vice president May 1990 – January 1991.
Vice PresidentMohammed Eshaq Tokhi1992April 1992Mohammad Najibullah

[Islamic State of Afghanistan]

Vice presidents were appointed by the president.
TitleNameTook officeLeft officePresidentNotes
Vice PresidentAbdulrab Rasul SayyafJuly 1992August 1992Burhanuddin Rabbani
Vice PresidentMawlawi Mir HamzaAugust 1992January 1993Burhanuddin RabbaniDied in office.
Vice PresidentMohammad Shah FazliJanuary 19931994Burhanuddin Rabbani
Vice PresidentMohammad Nabi MohammadiJanuary 19931996Burhanuddin Rabbani

[Afghan Interim Administration]

During the Afghan Interim Administration and the Afghan Transitional Administration, when the Loya Jirga hadn't appointed a new Constitution yet, there were more than two vice chairmen of the interim administration.
TitleNameTook officeLeft officeNotes
Vice ChairmanHedayat Amin Arsala22 December 200119 June 2002Pashtun, representative of the Rome Group
Vice ChairmanMohammad Qasim Fahim22 December 200119 June 2002Tajik and Defense Minister of the United Front
Vice ChairmanSima Samar22 December 200119 June 2002Hazara, female and representative of the Rome Group
Vice ChairmanMohammad Mohaqiq22 December 200119 June 2002Hazara and Commander in the United Front
Vice ChairmanMohammad Shakir Kargar22 December 200119 June 2002Uzbek and leader in the United Islamic Front

[Islamic Republic of Afghanistan]

After 2004, vice presidents were elected on the same ticket as the president.
TitleNameTook officeLeft officeNotes
Vice PresidentHedayat Amin Arsala19 June 20027 December 2004Appointed for interim term, Pashtun mandate
Vice PresidentMohammad Qasim Fahim19 June 20027 December 2004Appointed for interim term, Tajik mandate
Vice PresidentNematullah Shahrani19 June 20027 December 2004Appointed for interim term, Uzbek mandate
Vice PresidentKarim Khalili19 June 20027 December 2004Appointed for interim term, Hazara mandate
Vice PresidentHaji Abdul Qadeer19 June 20026 July 2002Appointed for interim term, Pashtun mandate, assassinated
First Vice PresidentAhmad Zia Massoud7 December 200419 November 2009Elected in the same ticket with Karzai
Second Vice PresidentKarim Khalili7 December 200429 September 2014Elected in the same ticket with Karzai
First Vice PresidentMohammad Qasim Fahim19 November 20099 March 2014Elected in the same ticket with Karzai
First Vice PresidentYunus Qanuni11 March 201429 September 2014Appointed for interim term
First Vice PresidentAbdul Rashid Dostum29 September 201419 February 2020Elected in the same ticket with Ghani
Second Vice PresidentSarwar Danish29 September 201415 August 2021Elected in the same ticket with Ghani
First Vice PresidentAmrullah Saleh19 February 202015 August 2021Elected in the same ticket with Ghani