BAMYAN CITY - Taher Zahir, the newly-appointed governor for central Bamyan province was introduced on Wednesday amid protest by some lawmakers and people.

Zahir was appointed as governor by the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) last month, but he delayed resuming work due to opposition by some lawmakers against his appointment.

Bamyan lawmakers, including Mohammad Akbari, Safura Ilkhani and Sayed Fakoor along with their supporters staged protest demonstration as Taher Zahir arrived in Bamyan City, the provincial capital.

Zahir who was accompanied by a delegation from Kabul said he might work with a political party but he would deal all people of the province equally.

During a ceremony arranged in his honor, Zahir said: “Bamyan has a democratic community and people can express their views openly. There is support and opposition but I think that opposition cannot hamper development activities.”

Bamyan was reeling under widespread corruption, he claimed, pledging he would help improve education, health and media sectors in cooperation close cooperation of local people and departments.

Mohammad Tahir Zahir is the resident of Dara-i-Souf Bala district of Samangan province who received his bachelor degree in sociology from Kateb private university.

He had served as advisor to former Second Vice-President Mohammad Karim Khalili from 2011 to 2014. Zahir was the 34th ground brigade commander in Bamyan from 2001 to 2004.

Zahir was advisor to President Ashraf Ghani during his electioneering campaign in 2014.

However, Safura Ilkhani representing Bamyan people in Wolesi Jirga today said that she along with her supporters gathered in front of the governor house to oppose the appointment of Zahir as Bamyan governor.

“We in the past also opposed the new governor and now we’re opposing because he is an emotional man,” she said. (Pajhwok)