DUSHANBE, November 5, 2014, Asia-Plus – Qurbon Cholov, one of former influential field commanders of the Popular Front of Tajikistan (PFT — a paramilitary group that supported the government during the five-year conflict) died in Dushanbe today morning at the age of 55.
According to his relatives, Qurbon Cholov died of hypertension.
It is considered that the Cholov family contributed to the current leadership’s rise to power in the country and Qurbon Cholov held leadership positions in Tajikistan’s border control committee in the 1990s. But campaign on removing warlords from leadership positions was launched in early 2000s and Qurbon Cholov and some other PFT warlords were dismissed in 2002.
One his brothers, Davlatali Cholov, who was also one of former field commanders of the Popular Front of the Popular Front of Tajikistan, was arrested in February this year for calling on Kulob youth to fight on the side of antigovernment forces in Syria. Criminal proceedings have been instituted against Davlatali Cholov and his accomplices under the provisions of two articles of Tajikistan’s Penal Code: Article 187 (3) – organizing a criminal group; and Article 307 (2) – organizing activity of an extremist group.
In January 2003, Qurbon Cholov”s brother, Sulaymon, formerly deputy chairman of Dushanbe”s Customs Committee, was convicted of extortion, kidnapping, marrying a minor, and polygamy, and sentenced to six years in prison. He later died.
Cholov’s brother, Firdvas, was arrested in Kulob in April 2013 on suspicion of drug trafficking and theft and sentenced to six years in prison.
One more of the Cholov brothers, Javharsho, is also serving his jail term in penal colony.
