Dear all,
This time, you will read about an extraordinary Afghan personality, who has devoted his entire life to helping Afghanistan and its people. He has been working tirelessly and nonstop. He is highly educated and belongs to a very well-known Afghan family that you all know. The reason that most Afghan women respect his family is that his ancestors were the first to support women’s rights, equal opportunity of education for both men and women and freedom for all in Afghanistan.
This active and intellectual personality is Prince Ali Seraj.
Prince Ali Seraj
Prince Ali Seraj is a direct descendant of nine generations of Kings of Afghanistan. He is the nephew of His Majesty King Amanullah (1919-1929), known as the Victor of Afghanistan, the grandson of His Majesty Amir Habibullah (1901-1919), the great-grandson of His Majesty Amir Abdurrahman (1880-1901), and known as the Iron King. His ancestry continues on to His Majesty Amir Dost Mohammad who assumed the throne in 1827.
Prince Ali received his education in Afghanistan and in the United States at the University of Connecticut. He earned degrees in Economics and Business/Public management. While still in Afghanistan, he emerged as a cross-cultural entrepreneur by establishing several successful businesses, including a travel agency, taxi service, advertisement and employment agencies. In addition he built several restaurants, the most famous being the Golden Lotus. He also was very actively involved in the welfare of his countrymen. He assisted the poor and needy individuals and families and helped set many of them up with their own small businesses.
After the communist coup d’états in 1978, fearing for his family’s life and having been placed under watch by the new government, Prince Ali undertook a dramatic escape from Afghanistan and settled in the United States. For the next 24 years, Prince Ali made a successful career in business development, sales and marketing in fields including commercial real estate, industrial components and fiber optics. He helped establish several successful businesses in Brazil, Saudi Arabia and Germany. During this time he also provided leadership for activities and programs designed to bring information about the plight of the Afghan people to the American people via the US media as well as via personal contact with the American government and personal public advocacy on behalf of Afghanistan with the people of the United States.
He also assisted those who had escaped the scourge of first the communists and then Al Qaeda, to resettle in the US. Prince Ali worked very closely with the Reagan Administration to provide what was necessary to defeat the Soviet invaders of Afghanistan. His passion for his country, people and culture never wavered during these difficult times. After the Soviets left, the Taliban took over and Afghanistan was once again under the scourge of a power that victimized the Afghan people.
After 9/11 when the US planned to attack the Taliban/Al Qaeda, Prince Ali provided President George Bush with a plan of how to proceed in Afghanistan. The President received this plan favorably. In fact the Prince’s suggestions were the blue print of what transpired during the US attack on the Taliban.
Upon his return to Afghanistan after more than two decades of exile, the Prince continued his charitable work and proceeded to build over three hundred homes, several mosques for the poor in several provinces and supplied school materials to thousands of students. Because of an overwhelming support of his family history by all the tribes and his charitable involvement with the people of every region of the country, Prince Ali has developed a strong working relationship with each of the various tribes in Afghanistan – something that is exceedingly rare and can be put to good use.
Due to these relationships and a keen knowledge of the various cultures and norms throughout the country, the enormous socio/political/economical problems facing the nation, the growing distance between the Central Government and the people, and the resurgence of the Al Qaeda/Taliban (and now ISIS) forces and the divisions and continuing suffering of his people and country, Prince Ali has embarked on a mission to unite the Tribes as one nation. He realizes that only through the unification of all tribes and the empowering of the people, would the country and the fledging young democracy be saved and a truly national identity have a chance to solidify and gain the allegiance of the people.
He, therefore, has established a movement under the name of “National Coalition for Dialogue with Tribes of Afghanistan”, which he has registered with the Ministry of Justice in Kabul. Despite the fact that it has not received much media exposure in the United States, it has nevertheless made great strides towards its goals.
In 2006, at the request of General Richards, the ISAF Commander, he organized a Jirga (tribal meeting) with tribal elders from Kandahar and Helmand, to resolve differences between the parties. The Jirga was attended by General Richards, General Van Loon from Kandahar forces, General Thomas, head of the British Forces in Helmand, and Canadian officers. The meeting resulted in the agreement on the Moosa Qala peace initiative.
Prince Ali Seraj strongly believes that the problems of Afghanistan are fourfold: tribal, economic, social and political, in that exact order. Without recognizing the importance of the tribal structure of Afghan society, and then an effective pursuit of tribal unification, economic development, social cohesiveness, and political stability will be impossible. Political stability will only occur once the first three issues are effectively addressed. Prince Ali has made this mission his life work.
For his relentless commitment to promote democratic ideals and for his actions in support of the peace and stabilization of Afghanistan, the President and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Italy, have conferred on Prince Ali, the Award of the Commander in the Order of the Star of the Italian Solidarity, which he has accepted on behalf of the National Coalition for Dialogue with the Tribes of Afghanistan.
For services rendered towards building homes for the poor and schools in various Provinces, Prince Ali Seraj received the Medal of the Grand Commander and was Knighted by the Templars Knights.
While appreciative of these recognitions, Prince Ali hopes to bring greater levels of attention to his mission, believing that with the proper assistance and support, he can help heal the rifts within Afghan society and address the issues that have thus far ensured that Afghanistan continues to be victimized by radicals and that a just and lasting peace remains elusive.
His deep concerns for the future of his Homeland, compels Prince Ali Seraj to continue to seek ways to resolve the multitude of social, political, economic and security problems facing Afghanistan.
He realizes that the security problem between Afghanistan and Pakistan can only be resolved through the creation of a Central Asian Common Market, based a six by six program, between six Islamic Nations of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, whose security is assured by six major Nations of USA, Russia, China, England, Germany and France.
In such a scenario, Afghanistan to become a Free Trade Zone and an economic hub. Borders to be opened, railroad from five neighboring nations to be extended through Afghanistan to the Port of Gwadar, in Pakistan.
Prince Ali Seraj believes that such a policy would create tens of thousands of jobs and rid the region of the terrorists. It is a win/win policy for the Region and the World.
Prince Ali Seraj has written a book about his life experiences from 1978 to 2014, it is called The Lost Kingdom Memoir of an Afghan Prince. It is published through Hill Press and is available through Amazon now. His second book is coming soon, which talks in detail about all that happened during and after the Communists took over Afghanistan.
If you want to keep in touch with him via email or his direct phone number, please open the link below.
http://www.ncdta.org/
Dear Prince Ali Seraj, what you have done throughout your life is admirable. We Afghan professionals in the USA and Afghanistan truly appreciate your efforts in bringing peace and stability to Afghanistan.
We wish you the best of luck with your future endeavors.
Best regards,
Alaha Ahrar