P rominent t ajik f igures of the

Iskandarov, Akbarsho

Tajik politician Akbarsho Iskandarov was born in the Darvoz district

of the Badakhshan Autonomous region in 1951.

Iskandarov graduated from the Tajik State University--through cor-

respondence--with a degree in economics in 1979. His working career

began in 1970 as a member of the Executive Committee of the CPT in

Qala'-i Khum. From 1982 to 1986, he worked in the Qala'-i Khum and

the Badakhshan provincial committees of the CPT. Again through cor-

respondence, he graduated from the Tashkent Communist Party Insti-

tute in 1986. From 1987 to 1990, he served as the first secretary of the

Vanj district committee of the CPT, then as the chair of the Badakhshan

Provincial Executive Committee. He was appointed Deputy Chair of the

Supreme Soviet of Tajikistan in the same year.

An altercation between the Supreme Soviet Head, Safarali Kenjaev,

and the Interior Minister, Mamadayoz Navjavonov, resulted in Ken-

jaev's ousting and the promotion of Iskandarov to the chairmanship of

the Supreme Soviet of Tajikistan in 1992. After the resignation of

President Rahmon Nabiev at gunpoint in the Dushanbe Airport, Iskan-

darov became the Acting President of the Republic as well. Iskandarov

resigned these positions after the defeat of the Opposition in November

1992. From 1993 to 2000, he was Tajikistan's Ambassador to Turk-

menistan. Since March 2000, he has been Tajikistan's Ambassador to

Kazakhstan.