Father’s work will continue, says son

By Shaun Inguanzo
THE grieving son of an Afghanistan official and Dandenong man who was killed by a suicide bomber has vowed to follow in his late father’s footsteps and bring democracy to the Middle-Eastern nation.
Zmarak Taniwal, 25, said his family was shocked by Sunday’s news that a suicide bomber had killed his father Hakim Taniwal, 61, the governor of Afghanistan’s Pakti province.
Zmarak said his father was a compassionate man dedicated to restoring peace in Afghanistan after allied forces liberated the nation from the Taliban government in 2002.
He said his father regularly travelled between the two countries.
Close friend of Hakim and president of the Afghan Australian Association of Victoria Khaliq Fazal said the bombing was the work of a ‘brainless’ Taliban.
He said Dandenong’s Afghan community was mourning the loss of a helpful soul.
“This sort of action, this sort of work these people are doing is totally against the morals, against the culture, against the religion and against humankind,” Mr Fazal said.
“No-one in their right mind would do such a thing like that.”
The Taniwal family was dealt another painful blow by another suicide bomber at Hakim’s funeral in Pakti province on Tuesday. The blast killed six mourners, mainly police officers, and injured at least 27 others.
But despite the loss of life and the instability in the Pakti province, Zmarak said he planned to finish a Bachelor of Network Computing and apply his knowledge in Afghanistan.
“That’s what dad taught us. Always help your country and your people by learning and applying that knowledge where you can,” he said.
Zmarak turned 25 this week but could only think of his father, who he had asked to return to Dandenong two months ago.
“He was a charming, welcoming, open person and very generous,” he said.
“Most of the time when he got his pay, although he was a governor, he would give away his salary to poor people who would come and see him.”
Mr Fazal said his friend of 24 years earned his Masters in Sociology in Germany in the 1970s before lecturing in that topic at Kabul University.
He fled to Pakistan in 1980 to join the Mujahideen and fight against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
Hakim remained in Pakistan until the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in 1996.
Mr Fazal said Hakim feared he would be assassinated.
“I then offered to sponsor him to come to Australia with his family, and he accepted the invitation,” he said.
“I sponsored him and he was accepted and he migrated to Australia with his family in 1997.
“He worked here with the community and was a dedicated person who would help anybody.”
The Afghan Australian Association of Victoria will hold a prayer session in memory of Hakim Taniwal this Saturday.