Charikar, officially renamed to Imam Abu Hanifa or Imam Azam, is the main town of the Koh Daman Valley. It is the capital of Charikar District, and the capital of Parwan Province in northern Afghanistan. It has a population of around 171,200, which is majority Tajik populated. The town was officially renamed in December 2022 by the Taliban to honor the Sunni Muslim theologian and jurist Abu Hanifa, who is also sometimes called Imam Azam and was the founder of the Hanafi school of Islamic law.
A street in Charikar during the War in Afghanistan, 2007
Aerial view of the city
A street in Charikar (2008)
Parwan also spelled Parvan is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is the largest province of the Greater Parwan region and has a population of about 751,000. The province is multi-ethnic and mostly rural society. The province is divided into ten districts. The town of Imam Abu Hanifa serves as the provincial capital. The province is located north of Kabul Province and south of Baghlan Province, west of Panjshir Province and Kapisa Province, and east of Maidan Wardak Province and Bamyan Province. The province's famous tourism attraction is the Golghondi Hill, also known as “the flower hill,” located in Imam Azam about an hour away from the capital city of Kabul. After Panjshir this province has been considered as one of the main raising points of Afghanistan War against Soviets.
The Salang Pass during winter
Computer class at the Korean Education and Cultural Center in Parwan.
Near the Shibar Pass that connects Parwan to Bamyan.
A road in the Parwan Province, near the Sayed Bridge which is located short distance north from Bagram Air Base.