DUSHANBE, October 3, 2008, Asia-Plus — By resolution issued by the Ministry of Interiors Mahmadnazar Solehov on October 2 the Rasht regional directorate for combating organized crime has been closed done and it chief, Mirzokhouja Ahmadov is now at the disposal of the personnel department within the Ministry of Interior (MoI), according to a MoI.
In the meantime, speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, Mirzokhouja Ahmadov said that the decision had been made by the MoI administration following his meeting with President Emomali Rahmon in Gharm, administrative center of the Rasht district on October 2.
According to him, officers from the Rasht regional directorate handed over their government-issue weapons today. Ahmadov said that the directorate had had a staff of seven, including him. “We had 14 government-issue weapons, including one grenade launcher, two machine-guns, five pistols and six sub-machine-guns,” Ahmadov said, noting that he and six other officers of the directorate are currently at the disposal of the MoI personnel department.
He further added that he decided to be engaged in economical activity after retirement. “The president charged local authorities to help place officers from our directorate in jobs,” Colonel Ahmadov said.
He also expressed satisfaction with the results of meeting with the president and said he is ready “to fulfill president’s instructions in the future as well.”
Mirzokhouja Ahmadov was one of field commanders of the United Tajik Opposition (UTO) in the Rasht Valley during the country”s civil war in the mid-1990s but was later appointed to a senior police post as part of a broader attempt at reintegrating former rebel leaders. He headed the regional directorate for combating organized crime in the Rasht Valley.
