Sardar Abdul Wahab Khan

Sardar Abdul Wahab Khan (1848 - 13 July 1920) was the former Minister for Education of Afghanistan, civil brigadier and a leading commander during Mohammad Ayub Khan's rebellion in the Second Anglo-Afghan War. When Abdur Rahman Khan was invited by the British to become the new Amir after the defeat of Ayub Khan during the Second Anglo-Afghan War, Abdul Wahab Khan lived in exile for many years in Persia (now Iran) then in British India before returning to Kabul with his son, Sardar Abdul Habib Khan in 1903.

He was the Governor of the following provinces and districts at various times:

Grishk Ghor Farah Herat Balkh

Early life Abdul Wahab Khan was born to Mir Afzal Khan in Kandahar (son of Pur Dil Khan), a member of the Mohammadzai branch of the Barakzai tribe of the Pashtuns, who was the former governor of Kandahar until the Second Anglo-Afghan War, and was born to the latter's fourth wife, a Hazara lady. His brother General Abdur Rahim Khan was commanded at Herat in 1912 and Jalalabad in 1918 before becoming Governor of Jalalabad in 1919,

Second Anglo-Afghan War Abdul Wahab Khan was allied with Sher Ali Khan then later with Sher Ali's successor and son Ayub Khan. This alliance made him a natural opponent of Abdur Rahman Khan who battled both Sher Ali and Ayub Khan for power when they each were rulers of Afghanistan. During the Second Anglo-Afghan War Abdul Wahab Khan participated in the Battle of Maiwand with Ayub Khan in 1880 which resulted in the defeat of the British.

Once Rahman Khan became the ruler of Afghanistan with the help of the British, Wahab Khan together with his family fled to Persia (now Iran) as political refugees. The British offered him a monetary allowance on the condition that he relocate to British India, to eliminate any possibility of him rebelling with Ayub Khan against Rahman Khan in Herat, he accepted. Sardar Abdul Wahab Khan and Sir Louis William Dane in Kabul c. 1904-1905 Under Habibullah Khan he held the position of Secretary in Charge of Correspondence and rank of Civil Brigadier (Na'eb Salar Mulki) and was involved in the negotiations of a new treaty between the British and Habibullah Khan during the "Dane Mission" lead by Sir Louis W. Dane. He also accompanied the Amir during his Herat tour in 1907. He served on Boundary Commission in 1910 and was appointed Governor of Turkestan (Na'eb-ul-Hukumah) and rank of Civil General in 1911. He was reported to be both popular and energetic as a Governor in Mazar-i-Sharif in 1914. He was likely present at the Amir's hunting party in February 1919 during which he was assassinated.

Under Amir Amanullah Khan he resumed his duties as Secretary in Charge of Correspondence after returning from Turkestan and left for Bukhara in April 1919 with Muhammad Wali Khan (who was previously ranked as Sardar-i-Ale which translates to "Highest Afghan Decoration" and custodian of Amir Habibullah's secret correspondence and documents then later appointed Ambassador at Bukhara in April 1919 by Amir Amanullah Khan ) who the Amir had sent on various diplomatic missions abroad to Uzbekistan, Russia, Europe and US between June 1919 and May 1922.

He was later reported to have been appointed as the Minister for Education in December 1919. Two of his sons from his first wife Sakina: Abdur Rahman Khan (rank of Civil Colonel - Sarteb Mulki) who was an envoy to India and member of Afghan Peace Delegates to Rawalpindi during the Third Anglo-Afghan War, and Abdul Habib Khan (was at one time residing in Lahore in 1899) were both appointed Ministers of Education in succession after him. Abdur Rahman Khan was later appointed Deputy to the Foreign Secretary in February 1920.

Ancestry

''Sardar'' Abdul Wahab Khan Sardar Abdul Azim Khan Karimullah Aisha Farukh Abdul Qadir Abdur Rahim Sardar Abdul Aziz Khan Gul Ghutai Hamida Aziza Muhammad Hussain Hafizullah Sultan Aziz Bahija (maternal granddaughter of Muhammad Zaman Khan Tarzi) Azizullah (maternal grandson of Muhammad Zaman Khan Tarzi) Najibullah Wahab Tamim Tayeb Humaira Zilaikha Majd Naweed Tariq Aisha Waleed Hafsa Sulaiman Ibrahim Ismael Sardar Abdur Rahman Khan Fatima Sultan Ahmad Ghulam Muhammad Abdullah Afifa Sultan Shamsuddin Ali Ahmad Shaida Sultan Hamdam Sultan Sardar Abdul Habib Khan Mariam Muhammad Jan Aziza Humaira Rabia Safia Muhammad Kabir Muhammad Akbar Muhammad Ayub Farukh Sultan Fazlullah Obaidullah Abdul Wali Abdul Ali Shahera Fereshta Yama Tahera Siddiqa Aliya Sardar Abdul Ahad Khan Zubaida Asiya Marie Hasibullah Abdullah Abdul Ahmad Abdul Wahid Abdul Samad Rahima Sardar Abdul Hakim Khan Abdur Rahim Marie Najia Qudsia Muhammad Amin Sardar Abdul Karim Khan Tirina Latifa Mina Hamidullah Rahima Muhammad Amin Najibullah Fazila Obaidullah Habibullah Abdulillah Abdullah Khalilullah Marie Sardar Abdul Quddus Khan Sardar Abdul Qayum Khan Abdul Hamid Fereshta Ramzia Abdur Rahman Abdul Hai Azada Abdul Mubain Farkhunda