Legal education in Afghanistan

Pragya Kaushika / TNN / Nov 26, 2007, 00:00 IST

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Quadir Amiryar, advisor, higher education, government of Afghanistan, and a senior professor at a law college, was recently in India for a conference on legal education of SAARC countries.

Quadir Amiryar, advisor, higher education, government of Afghanistan, and a senior professor at a law college, was recently in India for a conference on legal education of SAARC countries. Amiryar speaks to Pragya Kaushika on the status of legal education in his country
With teachers from Afghanistan coming to India for training in legal education, do you think the level of education has improved?
I believe Afghanistan needs to improve a lot in terms of specialised education like legal education, which requires that professors at the law faculty must interact with their counterparts in other countries, especially democracies like India.As such, future lawyers should have a broader perspective while dealing with a sensitive country like Afghanistan.
Do you feel that the changes taking place in the legal education system are revolutionary?

I think the changes are evolutionary. For the first time in the history of Afghanistan, we managed to publish a law journal of the law faculty called, 'Journal of Law in Political Science.' The law is still in the process of becoming free from government. India is the greatest democracy and both educationists and students of Afghanistan have a lot to learn from this country. It is encouraging that the government in Afghanistan is not interfering in the higher education system.

How many law faculties does Afghanistan have at present?
Presently, there are five main law faculties in Afghanistan - Law faculty of Kabul, Law faculty of Mazar, Law faculty of Herat, Law faculty of Nangarhar and Law faculty of Al Biruni. Also, we are keen to collaborate with other universities across the world to raise the standard of legal education.
After witnessing 35 years of civil war, where do you see Afghanistan, as an educational hub today?
The situation was a major setback for the country. Either the people abandoned it or were forced to leave certain parts of it. Even educational institutions were destroyed. So now we are starting from scratch and need all the support from democratic countries in making Afghanistan a prosperous and a free country.
What is the status of the legal system in Afghanistan?
We have a law association to take care of the judiciary. When a law is to be passed in Afghanistan, it is drafted by advocates, submitted to the Congress and then goes to the President. When legislation approves it, the law executive implements it. In all, it still needs a lot of improvement and freedom.
Any proposals to make the judiciary more independent?
We will soon be forming our own Bar Association like India, whose members will be elected in a democratic way. The ministry of justice in collaboration with the International Bar Association along with faculties of law in the country, is working on its by-laws. Lawyers will be expected to sit for the bar examinations which has never happened in Afghanistan. The bar shall come into existence by February.

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