Presidential Candidates

8. Abdul Hafez MANSUR Born: 1963 (Hegira 1342) in Panjsher Valley, northeast of Kabul Political Affiliation: ran in 2004 presidential race as an independent, but is a member of Rabbani's Islamic Society of Afghanistan (Jami'at-e Islami-ye Afghanistan) First Vice-Presidential Running Mate in 2004: Sayyed Mohammad Eqbal Munib Second Vice-Presidential Running Mate in 2004: Mohammad Ayyub Qasemi

Mansur was among the 11 presidential candidates in 2004 who received less than 1 percent of the vote. He is editor in chief of the Islamic Society of Afghanistan's party mouthpiece, "Payam-e Mujahid" (Message of the Mujahedin). He was the first director of state radio and television following the overthrow of the Taliban regime in 2001; but his conservative Islamic views -- including imposing a ban on the broadcast of female singers -- prompted his departure from that post.     Mansur, an ethnic Tajik and religious hard-liner, was among the most vocal critics of Hamid Karzai's administration during campaigning in 2004. He railed against Karzai's refusal to relinquish his position atop the Transitional Administration during the presidential campaign, threatening to join other candidates in a boycott of the election results. SOURCES: JEMB; RFE/RL; Radio Free Afghanistan; Ludwig W. Adamec, "Historical Dictionary of Afghanistan"; Martin Ewans, "Afghanistan: A Short History of Its People and Politics"; and as noted.