Ex-Defense Minister Shahnavaz Tani Dies in Islamabad

Relatives of Shahnavaz Tani reported that he died from an illness at a hospital in Islamabad.

“Mr. Tani was under treatment in Islamabad for almost two weeks and he died in the morning,” said Ajmal Zadran, a relative of Shahnavaz Tani, on Monday.

Shahnavaz Tani served in the Ministry of Defense during Dr. Najibullah’s rule but then mounted an attempted coup against Dr. Najibullah’s government, which failed. After the defeat of the coup, he took refuge in Pakistan and settled in Islamabad, for which he was widely criticized.

He completed his military training inside the country and in the Soviet Union. After the coup of May 27, 1978, he climbed the ladder and became the Minister of Defense under the leadership of Dr. Najibullah.

“He weakened Dr. Najibullah’s government and killed the Afghan people, committed a national betrayal and fled to Pakistan with a few planes,” said Gen. Saddiq Shinwari, a military expert.

“General Shahnavaz Tani has a track record in Afghanistan’s military history, serving in the Afghan army in defense of the homeland,” said Gen. Samar Sadat, a former military.

Tani was the leader of the Peace Movement party during the rule of Hamid Karzai, which included a number of members of the former People’s Democratic Party.