Jalal ud-Din Haqqani

Jalal ud-Din belongs to Pashtun Zadran tribe and was born in Paktia, Afghanistan. He received his early education through a local religious seminary and then attended the Dar ul-Ulum Haqqani Madrassa in Akora Khattak, Pakistan. In the early years of turmoil in Afghanistan from 1976 – 1979, Haqqani was a member of anti- Soviet Hizb-e Islami. Due to splits within the group, he later joined Hizb-e Islami-Khalis. From 1981 – 1986 Haqqani consolidated his position both in Afghanistan and also in the tribal region of Pakistan. During the anti-Soviet campaign Haqanni gained support in Pakistan, Middle East and also in the U.S., where he visited to meet President Ronald Reagan at the White House. Haqanni joined the Taliban in 1995 and was later awarded the Ministry of Borders and Tribal Affairs. After the initiation of U.S. invasion of Afghanistan the Haqanni Network was constituted, which due to his health conditions is now being led by his son Jalal ud-Din Haqqani.

Jalal ud-Din Haqqani