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| Murdered Afghan Vice-President, Qadir |
KABUL,
July 6 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Afghan Vice President Haji
Abdul Qadir was assassinated Saturday, July 6, 2002, close to his
offices in the capital Kabul, in a clear sign peace and stability were
yet a far-reached dream to the war ravaged country.
"There
was an assassination attempt that was successful," an Afghan
senior government official told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on
condition of anonymity.
"It
seems that two of his bodyguards were also killed," he added.
The
powerful Qadir was shot dead near his Ministry of Public Works, a
portfolio he was given last month by Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
The
shooting took place around 01.00 p.m. (0830 GMT).
Qadir
was the brother of former mujahedin commander Abdul Haq, assassinated
by the Taliban last October as he tried to stir up a rebellion against
the ousted Islamic regime.
Unknown
men, in a car, attacked Qadir, one of the most powerful men in eastern
Afghanistan, and one of the few Pashtun members of the interim
government, according to BBC’s online news service.
The
assassination followed an attempt on the life of the country's interim
Defense Minister Mohammad Fahim in April, 2002.
Four
civilians were killed and more than 50 others injured when a bomb
exploded as Fahim's convoy visited the eastern city of Jalalabad.
Last
February, the Afghan Civil Aviation Minister, Abdul Rahman, was also
killed at Kabul airport in controversial circumstances.
