CASUALTIES & MIGRATION OF THE ISMAILIS

In 1986, Dr. Najib, who was a Pushtun ethnic, replaced Babrak Karmal. The Ismailis working in the government, notably in the Secret Service Department, called as KHAD, held high positions, but were dismissed. Most of them had gone to India and Russia, and finally settled in Canada.

Dr. Najib resigned after the peace negotiation of UN, and it led the transfer of power to a coalition of Islamic parties in 1992. It was followed by a civil war in Kabul, resulting a flood of the Ismailis of different provinces to pour down in Pakistan.

The Ismailis in northern parts of Afghanistan originally are concentrated in Baghalan province along in Kayan valley, the districts of Doshi including Kilagai, Neikpai, Shoturjangal, Charbagh and Pulikhumri town having 3500 families, in Samangan province including mountainous villages of Pasaband having 800 families, in Kundoz province and Khanabad district having 500 families, Mazar-i Sharif having 300 families, etc. have migrated towards Central Asia and Pakistan.

The casualties of the Ismailis in Mazar-i Sharif and Kayan are differently reported, whose correct figures are not ascertained. It is however narrated that 15 to 20 Ismailis were put to death in Mazar-i Sharif and 25 to 28 were arrested, and imprisoned in Kandahar. The casualties in Kayan however were more than it, where about 150 to 400 Ismailis were killed and 30 to 40 were imprisoned, and their neighbours have abducted about 8 to 10 women.

It seems that the elders of the New Jamatkhana did not want faction but Ismailism and they were certainly in a difficult situation. Mehran Ali, one of their learned men got membership secretly in the communist party, called Parcham faction of the People Democratic Party of Afghanistan. He however worked actively between the young and jamat for the benefit of his party and encouraged the youth to recruit to the Parcham Party and succeeded in his plan. Henceforward, the youth intended to use the premises of Jamatkhana as a political arena, but the elders of the Jamat prevented them.