VZCZCXRO2794
PP RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #3216/01 2000444
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 190444Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1437
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//JF/UNMA//
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J3//
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 003216 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CT 
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76, POLAD 
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
REL NATO/AU/NZ/ISAF 
 
SIPDIS, SENSITIVE 
 
E.O.: 12958 N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER KCOR AF
SUBJECT: PRT FARAH  FARAH CITY MAYOR SACKED OVER 
CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS 
 
REF: A) 2005 PRT WEEKLY - DECEMBER 10 B) KABUL 3090 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  On July 10, Farah business 
representatives joined members of the Provincial Council 
and visiting Parliamentarians demanding Deputy Governor 
Juma Ghanghor dismiss Mayor of Farah City, Besmellah 
Khan, amid constant allegations of corruption.  Local 
merchants also protested against Khan, closing almost all 
stores throughout the day.  Ghanghor responded by sacking 
the mayor.  He then appointed Mohammed Hashim as interim 
mayor to oversee the Deputy Mayor.  This is the first 
time citizens of Farah have used peaceful demonstration 
as a mechanism for political change.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On July 10, representatives of Farahs business 
community approached the Provincial Council during a 
meeting with visiting Parliament members Nafas Gul 
Khetmet and Manur Mussa demanding the dismissal of Mayor 
of Farah City Besmellah Khan.  They claim to have 
repeatedly discussed allegations of corruption with 
Governor Issatullah Wasifi to no avail.  They blame 
Wasifis lack of action on his strong friendship with 
Khan, and their joint corruption activities.  Wasifi left 
the province approximately one month ago and told EmbOff 
he will return approximately July 15. 
 
Allegations of Corruption 
------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Allegations of corruption against Khan include 
collection of funds from Farahs businessmen as taxes 
since their stores are on public land.  Khan allegedly 
pockets 50 percent and gives the other half to Wasifi. 
Provincial Council member Belquis Roshan charged that 
Khan sold government land at exorbitant prices and again 
shared the proceeds with the Governor.  Choice parcels of 
land worth around 3,000 Afghanis (AFs) are often sold for 
between 50-60,000 AFs. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The District Attorneys (DA) office recently 
dismissed allegations against Khan including a secret 
relationship with members of the Iranian government and 
the Taliban.  Khan allegedly provided information to the 
GoI and/or the Taliban in return for payment.  The DAs 
office was unable to prove the case.  A widespread and 
oft repeated allegation was he drained the official 
coffers for personal use - specifically embezzling funds 
earmarked for road maintenance. (Note: See PRT weekly 
kly 
report of Dec 10, 2005 when Khan told PRTOff he 
misplaced approximately 300,000USD, would not initiate 
an investigation into the missing funds, and requested 
funding for industrial construction equipment including a 
bulldozer and land-grading equipment for Farah City. End 
note.) 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Other nefarious activity may include Khans 
involvement with the abduction of Director of Customs 
Abdul Ghani Turabi.  Turabi was appointed Director of 
Customs five months ago.  Since then he has increased 
customs revenues from a monthly average of five million 
AFs to 32 million AFs in June.  Turabi was seen in a 
heated argument with Khan just hours before the 
abduction. 
 
Iranian Implications 
------------------------ 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Not all Provincial Council members agreed to 
request Khans removal.  Provincial Council member 
Hangama Sadeet wanted to retain Khan as the mayor at 
least until Iranian engineers complete their site 
assessments for four development projects (vocational 
nal 
school, clinic, road and electric importation) scheduled 
 
KABUL 00003216  002 OF 002 
 
 
to commence shortly (ref B).  She told PRTOff that Khan 
was instrumental in facilitating the Iranian expansion; 
without him Farah might lose contracts and projects. 
 
No Immediate Arrest Expected 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) District Attorney Abdul Kadus called for Khans 
arrest pending investigation, but the Deputy Governor 
intervened, stating Khan was considered under guarantee 
by Governor Wasifi and would remain free on his own 
recognizance.  Ghanghor told PRTOff he wanted to wait for 
the return of Governor Wasifi, but when the large, angry 
group descended upon his office, he felt compelled to 
act.  He did stand up to the crowd when they also asked 
him to dismiss Dr. Qasim Bayan, Farahs Director of 
Health, for corruption and poor performance. 
 
8.(SBU) Comment:  Passive protest has not been used 
before in Farah, to the best of PRTOffs knowledge. 
Prior demonstrations took the form of marches punctuated 
ated 
by loud speeches and threats of violence.  Credit may go 
to Provincial Council member Sadeet, who calmed the mob 
that was threatening to take action.  With such obvious 
ties to Iran, it was surprising no one considered Khan a 
flight risk.  He was in Mashad and Birjand, Iran, late 
Dec, 2005 and was a member of the delegation that 
traveled across the border July 2 to finalize details. 
Strangely, there is no indication the scandal will spill 
over to the Governor.  No one suggested his removal or 
sanctioning despite his being jointly implicated in many 
corruption schemes.  Another complicating factor is the 
sad fact Farah Province has only two defense lawyers.  As 
cases cannot come to trial without a defense lawyer the 
case may take years or never come to court.  End Comment.