President Biography

Sayed Mohammad Karim Hashemi,  son of Senator Sayed Abdul Wahab, born on March 21, 1961, into a devout, educated, and entrepreneurial family in Afghan Kot, Maimana

City, Faryab Province.

He completed his secondary education at Abu Obaid Juzjani High School in Faryab Province, earning a baccalaureate degree. He pursued higher education in Mathematics and Physics, graduating with distinction. Until 1989, he engaged in business activities within Afghanistan, leveraging his family's entrepreneurial legacy. In 1990, he shifted his focus to international trade, capitalizing on the proximity and economic potential of Turkmenistan to establish his operations.

As one of the first Afghan traders to formalize the Afghanistan–Turkmenistan trade route, Hashemi laid the foundation for cross-border commerce. Drawing on his extensive experience in Turkmenistan, he ventured into the petroleum and liquefied gas sector, establishing a robust trade network. In 2006, he founded Yopec Yol Sen Gaz, a land transportation company operating over 100 tanker trucks to facilitate the transport of petroleum and gas products. His operations expanded with offices in key Turkmenistan cities, including Turkmenabat, Ashgabat, Serhetabat Border Port, Imam Nazar Border Port, and the Turkmenbashi Oil Refinery.

Hashemi’s entrepreneurial vision led to the creation of multiple companies, including Sayed Karim Group, Yama Petrol Company, Sayed Karim Hashemi Construction Company, Abu Saeed Mining Company, Baryali Petroleum Company, Maihan Gas Company, Hashemi Zarkan Mining Company, and Hashemi Stone Cutting Company. His enterprises extended beyond Turkmenistan to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Russia, Iraq, and other regions. In 2017, he consolidated his ventures under the Sayed Karim Group of Companies, which employs approximately 250 professional staff and 100–150 drivers and service personnel, streamlining operations under unified leadership.

 

Through Zarkan Hashemi Mining Company, which specializes in mining processing, and Abu Saeed Mining Company, which owns and operates three major salt mines in Afghanistan: (Andkhoy Mine, Darzab Mine, and Maimana Mine). These mines, among the region’s largest and highest-quality natural salt sources, produce over 100,000 tons of industrial and edible salt annually. Employing modern equipment and adhering to stringent safety standards, these operations directly support 800–1,000 workers daily and indirectly sustain over 5,000 families.

A milestone of Hashemi’s legacy is Yama Petrol Ltd., a leading provider of petroleum and gas services in Afghanistan and neighboring countries. The company has ambitious plans to construct a large-scale oil and gas refinery and establish two to three manufacturing plants, initiatives that promise to create thousands of jobs for Afghan youth.

Hashemi’s belief in the transformative power of education led him to send his children to the United Kingdom, where they earned master’s degrees. His multilingual and highly capable children now manage the Sayed Karim Group of Companies, continuing his legacy without external partners or shareholders.

A dedicated philanthropist, Hashemi supports over 150 needy families with monthly stipends, funds medical treatment and travel for patients with severe illnesses, and provides scholarships for students at various educational levels. His contributions to infrastructure include schools, healthcare centers, masjids, and roads, as well as aid for vulnerable communities and refugees, reflecting his deep commitment to social responsibility.

Passionate about Afghan culture, Hashemi is a prominent supporter of

Buzkashi, Afghanistan’s traditional sport. In 2024, he established the Yama Petrol Buzkashi Team, which fields over 54 horses and employs 80–100 individuals. Under his sponsorship, the team has secured three championship titles, contributing to the preservation and promotion of this cultural heritage.

 

 

Hashemi’s influence extends to Afghanistan’s economic institutions. In 2018, he joined the Board of Directors of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Afghanistan, becoming Vice Chairman in 2021. In 2023, he was appointed President of the National Oil and Gas Association of Afghanistan. In July 2025, following his tenure as Chairman of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment in Balkh Province. Finaly he was unanimously elected Chairman of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) by national traders and the High Economic Council following a rigorous shortlisting process, recognizing his stature among the country’s business elite.

 

With wisdom, integrity, and broad economic vision, Sayed Mohammad Karim Hashemi has consistently strived to play an influential role in the growth of the country’s private sector and to remain a devoted servant of the people and the national economy.