Paghman

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Coordinates: 34°35′N 68°57′E / 34.583, 68.95
Paghman
De Triomphe style arch in the Paghman gardens
Paghman Location in Afghanistan
Country	Afghanistan
Province	Kabul Province
District	Paghman District
Population (2006)
- Total	150,000
Time zone	UTC+4:30 (UTC)

Paghman is a city near Afghanistan's capital in the Kabul Province.

1 About
2 History
3 Sister cities
4 Notable natives
5 See also

[edit] About

The Paghman District, as it is also referred to as, is located at the west of Kabul City. The area is green with plenty of trees and fruits. Located at the bottom of the Hindu Kush, Paghman became a holiday retreat with villas and chalets as well as the summer capital. It was a popular place for wealthy Afghans and the Afghan aristocracy to visit. It is a place where people relax and spend the weekends there with friends and relatives. It is known for its beauty, with many lakes, rivers, and waterfalls.

Kabul River, the only main river in the Kabul province, is fed by springs and snowmelt runoffs from Paghman. There is also a canal system extending from Paghman city towards Tapa, however it is need of repair.

[edit] History

After King Amanullah Khan and Queen Soraya Tarzi's returned from Europe, Amanullah brought in foreign experts to redesign Kabul. In that, they created, at the entrance of Paghman, a European style monumental gate, similar to that of the Paris Arc de Triomphe.

On September 1, 1928, King Amanullah convoked the Loya Jirga to Paghman to the puzzlement of many delegates, who found themselves at odds with the dress-code and modernization of the country. After a long struggle, finally the rebellion of 1929 was staged where King Amanullah Khan lost his rule to the country's conservatives. However, soon after a moderate King would come about.

[edit] Sister cities

In January 2005, Paghman joined Sister Cities International. As of 2005, there is one sister city to Paghman:

- Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia

[edit] Notable natives

King Amanullah Khan - Known as a reformist, Amanullah Khan ruled Afghanistan from 1919 to 1929.
President Hafizullah Amin - Hafizullah Amin was the second President of Afghanistan during the period of the communist Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.