Ауғанстан пошта тарихы мен маркалары

This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Afghanistan.

The first stamps appeared in 1871. They were round in shape, imperforate, and printed in black, with a crude lion's head, surrounded by Arabic script specifying one of three denominations. The lion, sher, represented the head of state, Sher Ali Khan, as he had been named for the bravery of a lion. Many catalogues and early collectors incorrectly referred to these as "tiger" heads. Cancellation was accomplished by cutting or tearing off a piece of the stamp. Cancellation by postmark was not introduced until 1891. Each design in a sheet was individually engraved, so the stamps vary considerably in appearance. Many of the Sher Ali issues are readily available, while some sell for hundreds of US$. The defeat of Sher Ali by the British brought Abdur Rahman Khan to the throne in 1880, and the following year brought new stamps, still round, but with inscriptions in the middle instead of the lion's head. The era of round designs ended in 1891 with rectangular issues for the "Kingdom of Afghanistan". The three designs consisted entirely Arabic script, and were printed in a slate blue color. The 1892 issue featured the national seal consisting of a mosque gate and crossed cannons; it was printed in black on colored paper; at least 10 colors of paper were used, and there are many shades as well, even though all the colors had the same value. In 1894 simplified versions of this design were printed on green paper. The 1898 issues of the national seal on a variety of colored paper were not regularly issued. In 1907 the first rouletted stamps were issued, along with imperforate varieties, depicting a whole mosque, with various surrounding ornamentation. In the 1909 issue the mosque was displayed inside an eight pointed star pattern. During this interim period, many unofficial stamps were printed and distributed, which were disavowed by the Afghanistan postal service in 2000 under the Taliban, and subsequently in 2003 by the Karzai government. Stamp production resumed when the Taliban regime was overthrown and the Afghan Postal Authority reconstituted. The first issue of a postage stamp after the hiatus was the May 2002 stamp showing Ahmad Shah Massoud, a military general and national hero who defended Afghanistan against the Soviet Union in the 1980s and later led a resistance movement against the Taliban. During the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan period from 2004 to 2021, the postal service as Afghan Post managed to recreate a network of post offices and services although this speeded up after 2017 as Ahmad Wahid Wais became the new company director. Until then the core activities remained the transport of mail and parcels. By early 2020s there were around 3000 postal points for the public to access those services: one or two post offices per province, one postal agent or agency at least per district. Wais extended the activities to freight and e commerce. Postage issues were irregular between 2001 and 2017, with only three stamps from 2008 to 2017. However the wish to issue more stamps was limited by local possibilities. President Ashraf Ghani wished governmental documents be printed in Afghanistan, but in 2017 Suhuk, the state printer, did not have machines usable for stamp printing and perforating. Former philatelic chief Walid Saviz testified to philatelist Peter Hornung that the Shafiq, Saffron of Afghanistan and President Mohammad Daoud Khan stamps presented at ceremonies in 2018 were printed in low quality and little numbers or on paper inadequate for stamps (on photographic paper for the 2018 Abu Rayhan al Biruni stamp). In 2019 quality increased thank to printing in foreign printing plants. The stamp for the centenary of the independence of Afghanistan, picturing King Amanullah Khan, was printed in China and promoted by the Chinese embassy in Kabul. The 150th anniversary of Gandhi stamp and the Indo Afghna Friendship stamp were made by the Indian state's Security Printing Press in Hyderabad, with the help of the Indian embassy in Kabul, but still in low numbers as the others (around 5000). The last stamp issued before the Taliban retook power was in January 2021 honoring Japanese humanitarian Tetsu Nakamura who was killed in Jalalabad in 2019. It was printed by Suhuk, offered to many visiting foreign dignitaries and in Japan. In 2021 the philatelic service was working on a website on the history of Afghan stamps and an online shop. The Talibans took Kabul in August 2021. Talib Maulana Rahmatullah Maki was named president of Afghan Post. Until Autumn 2022 the company had prioritised postal operations. No stamp from the previous period was allowed to be sold. Autumn 2022 sales of these stamps were finally allowed to collectors, but they can not be used on mail. The lack of available stamps (either their printed numbers or their prohibition since 2021) implies that mail in Afghanistan hasn't bore stamps since at least mid 2010s. Afghan Post employees sell blank envelopes and check the contents after the sender has prepared his correspondence ; then the employee prints a bill for the postage. Sender has to pay this bill to a counter of the state bank Bank e Millie Afghan and had to come back with a bank receipt. Then his mail is accepted as paid in cash. The procedure is to avoid postal employees' corruption. As of January 2023 Afghan Post deputy director Hamed Naseri was preparing stamp issues: on the new Qosh Tepa Canal, the departure of the last U. S. soldier, and on production of saffron. Possibly a reissue of the 2019 Gandhi stamp could happen. Problems were to find a printing plant abroad and to open a web shop whereas the Taliban's Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is facing international sanctions, especially on financial transfers.