SAE Newsletter – July 2020, Volume 10, Issue 3, Saratan 1399

Dear Colleagues:

It is a pleasure to provide you the third issue of the Year 2020 SAE eNewsletter (newsletter) with latest information about the activities of the Society of Afghan Engineers (SAE).

The SAE members are looking forward to the prosperity and peace in Afghanistan and the entire world. We are also wishing you safety from coronavirus. This is the tenth year of the quarterly update from the SAE through the publication of this newsletter.

Thanks to the readers of the newsletter who have sent us technical articles, comments, suggestions, and news.

This issue of the newsletter features an article by Dr. Said Sharif Hossainy about energy saving building insulation materials. The newsletter includes information about this year’s SAE Election for the positions of the Society President and nine members of the Board of Directors. The elected members will serve in their positions during the years 2021 – 2023.

Dr. Zabihullah Mojaddidy, a Charter Member of the Afghanistan-based Society of Afghan Architects and Engineers (SAAE) as well as member of its Board of Directors has provided the report of the SAE-SAAE food donation project in Kabul.

We are looking forward to the receipt of your technical news, articles, comments, suggestions, questions, and opinions about SAE activities, especially this publication. As always, we welcome your feedback, questions, technical news, and articles about Afghanistan.

Very Truly Yours,

Ghulam Mujtaba, MS- CE, P.E., CPM;
Editor-In-Chief, SAE eNewsletter.

Inside This Issue

• Greetings from the SAE President
• Message from the Chairperson, SAE Board of Directors
• Energy Saving Building Insulation Materials
• Membership News
• The 2020 SAE Election
• The Election Committee Message to SAE Members-June 15, 2020
• The SAE-SAAE Food Donation Project Report
• Achievements and Awards
• Announcements
• The SAE Year 2020 Membership Renewal Updates
• Obituary
• Comments and Suggestions
• The Society of Afghan Engineers Organization

Greetings from the SAE President

Dear SAE Colleagues Salaam:

I hope that you and your loved ones are staying safe during these uncertain times. I implore everyone to continue to take this pandemic serious and practice good social distancing and other protective measures while we are in direct contact with the public. Our hope is that together we will be able to contain and stop the spread of this virus.

The threat of this deadly virus has created a severe health and financial crisis in our beloved Afghanistan. The lockdown in Kabul and other cities has caused extreme financial hardship for the neediest families. Understanding the dire needs of our people in need of basic food supplies, SAE quickly mobilized and provided financial support to help needy families in Afghanistan.

Over the past three months, SAE joined a coalition of several other Afghan organizations in a fundraising effort, which was used to purchase food supplies that were distributed to several locations in Afghanistan. We thank everyone who contributed to this effort.

Previously, in 2014, SAE initiated a fundraising effort, following the landslide disaster in Badakhshan. SAE’s management decided to distribute funds that remained from this previous fundraising to help the neediest Afghans during the Holy Month of Ramadan and Eid. With the help of our friends at the Society of Afghan Architects and Engineers (SAAE) in Kabul, we were able to provide a one-month basic food supplies to 400 needy families in Kabul.

Most recently, SAE initiated another fundraising round to help needy families in Afghanistan. Thanks to your generous contributions, SAE was able to raise over $6,000 which was sent to SAAE. With this money, SAAE was able to distribute another one-month supply of food to 137 families in Kabul. I want to take this opportunity to thank our colleagues at the SAAE for their kind collaborative assistance in the purchase of food supply and its distribution to the neediest people in Kabul.

We have asked our SAAE colleagues for a detail report of both food distributions, hoping to receive it on time for inclusion in this edition of newsletter.

Although we understand that we are in a difficult time dealing with the disruptive effects of coronavirus, we believe that SAE should continue to pursue its essential work activities to the extent possible through virtual communication and other means. The SAE is currently in the process of the election of the Society’s new leadership for the next three years. The SAE Election Committee has issued its election process guidelines and action items by the Society members for nomination of SAE President and nine Board members to be elected for the next three years.

Now it is upon us as qualified members to exercise our rights and privileges to participate in this democratic election process. If you have time and are willing to serve the Society, I ask that you consider applying for membership in a leadership committee of your choice, be a candidate for a vacant position, or nominate/vote for qualified nominees/candidates. Your active participation in this process is critical. I call on all Afghan professional engineers and architects as well as other professionals to participate and become active with the day-to-day operations of the Society.

I sincerely thank you for your willingness to participate in SAE’s activities and to help our beloved country Afghanistan prosper.

Sincerely,

Atiq Panjshiri, President
The Society of Afghan Engineers

Message from the Chairperson, SAE Board of Directors

Dear Colleagues,

I would like to take this opportunity to extend my greetings and message of peace, health and safety during these hectic times via SAE eNewsletter, to everyone around the world. I pray for speedy recovery of all who were affected by coronavirus and wish them safe recovery.

On behalf of SAE Board of Directors and the entire SAE organization, I thank the SAE Newsletter Subcommittee for their hard work and dedication to their duties.

As the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, I would like to especially thank the SAE President. Mr. Atiq Panjshiri, the Executive Committee, and SAE members for the fund-raising accomplishment to help Afghan needy families during this difficult time in Afghanistan. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Society of Afghan Architects and Engineers (SAAE) team in Kabul for their leadership in distributing the funds at this difficult time.

I believe you are aware this year is the SAE elections to bring in a new team on board, as our term is coming to an end by the end of the year. In this regard, we must keep in mind SAE’s missions, visions, and goals; which must continue in the same and better spirit and energy as the Society has demonstrated from day one to contribute our expertise to our homeland. Therefore, your participation in becoming a candidate or nominating a qualified member for the next term and casting votes for the candidates of your choice are of utmost importance.

I would especially like to thank Members of the Board of Directors who diligently worked with me in a team effort during this tenure. My wish is for us to continue with the same spirit and zeal to give the incoming elected team all the support they need to carry out their responsibilities. Let me thank all SAE Members who volunteered their time all these years to achieve SAE’s valuable mission.

Thank you all.

Sohaila Sanie Shekib,
Chairperson, Board of Directors
The Society of Afghan Engineers

Energy Saving Building Insulation Materials

By Dr. Said Sharif Hossainy

Abstract

With the onset of the energy crisis around the globe, it is important to conserve valuable energy for future generations. It is essential to select more energy efficient materials for construction and rehabilitation of the buildings. The solution to this need has been the use of rigid insulation materials, which protects the building against heat, humidity, and sound. However, the use of a new insulation material made of polymer and fireproof components has revolutionized both energy and cost savings. This article provides examples of a few building insulation materials, which the designers in Afghanistan may consider based on their availability and cost effectiveness.

Savings with Insulation

The different types of materials used in the exterior and interior walls of traditional buildings allow temperature variation between inside and outside of the buildings because that is continually changing and transforming with its surroundings environmental conditions. In the summer, outside heat penetrates through the roof, walls, and windows into the building. In the winter, the heat inside the building, which is produced by huge consumption of energy, is simultaneously released through the building’s envelope, thus cooling the interior, and thereby continuing the cycle of fuel consumption to compensate the heat loss. To minimize the escape of energy to the outside of the building or vice versa, it is necessary to use insulation in the walls, ceilings, and floors of the rooms. Most buildings have in the basement garage, and the only location where insulation may be useful is the ceiling of the basement or garage. The different types of insulation materials; including fiberglass (Figure 1, 2 & 3) and foams (Figure 4 & 5), polyurethane and polystyrene are available for effective insulation of the building elements.

Figure 1- Fiberglass insulation in ceiling
Figure 2- Fiberglass insulation in wall
Figure 3 – Fiberglass as wall insulation reduces and minimizes heat loss in winter and prevents heat gain in summertime through walls and simultaneously, prevents sound transmission inside and outside the building.
Figure 4-Polyurethane foam
Figure 5-Use of polyurethane foam as fire resistant on steel structure dome; in the New Afghanistan Parliament Complex – Kabul

In fact, the insulation industry has grown and significantly developed in the last thirty years. In developed countries, energy consumption is now one of the main economic indicators. Up to sixty per cent of a society’s per capita income is used for energy related purchases such as appliances, heating and cooling system, energy storage, and fuel. Energy saving is an important consideration during the design and construction of buildings.

As a result of scientific research in the field of energy saving in the world, one of the best ways to save energy is to create and produce new generation insulation material, which protect buildings from heat, moisture, and noise; and also fireproof them.

At present, different types of the naturally and artificially available insulation materials are used in the building structures.

The most common insulation is fiberglass, which is obtained from mineral fibers. By using this type of insulation, energy loss can be prevented by up to fifty per cent. The cost of more expensive insulation can be recovered within the first three or four years of building’s construction, due to tremendous savings in energy use.

Windows

Windows play an important role in saving energy. About thirty per cent of a building’s heat loss occurs through its windows. Additionally, improper location of windows can greatly increase building’s fuel consumption. In new construction, retrofits or renovations – leading technology can be used to save energy and prevent heat loss from windows. A single glazed window has about thirty times more heat loss in comparison to that with double or insulated glazing. Single glazed window may cause the following three issues:

1. High heat loss.
2. Lack of comfort for the residents.
3. Steaming or sweating of windows.

Double-glazed windows increase energy efficiency by having two panes with an air gap of 6 and 20 millimeters between them. In addition to reducing heat loss, the use of the double-glazed windows also prevents sunlight and heat “This is also called Solar Heat Gain (SHG)” from entering the building. They are especially helpful for windows that directly face the sun in the summer months. Double-glazed windows also reduce the entry of cold and noise by preventing the sweating of glazing during the winter season.

Filling the Glass Jacks with Gas

In certain types of double-glazed windows, the gap is filled with argon and krypton gases to increase their efficiency. Both gases are inert, non-toxic, clear, and odorless. Krypton can be used when the space between glazing layers is as little as ¼ inch. It has better thermal performance than argon; but is more costly.

Argon can be used when the spacing can be a bit larger about ½ inches. Sometimes it is mixed with krypton to keep cost low while increasing its thermal performance.

Low-Emissivity Coatings

The most important factor in the loss of thermal energy from buildings is the escape of heat by radiation: the highest amount of energy escape from buildings’ windows occurs in the winter.

Low-Emissivity (low-e) windows and even coatings are available in the market, in the form of transparent adhesives, which can be installed on window glass. Windows manufactured with low-e coatings typically cost about ten to fifteen per cent more than the regular windows, while reducing energy loss as much as thirty to fifty per cent.

Different types of low-e coatings have been designed to allow for high solar gain, moderate solar gain, or low solar gain. These stickers can be used in single-glazed windows, in old buildings, preventing otherwise huge replacement expense of single-glazed to double-glazed windows.

Curtains, Blinds, Wood Shutters and Roller Shade

Installing folding curtains that completely cover the windows can also prevent a lot of heat from escaping in the winter, and these same curtains will prevent direct sunlight from entering the rooms in the summer, helping keep the building cool inside (Figures 6 to 11).

Figure 6- Vertical window vinyl blind
Figure 7- Horizontal window vinyl blind
Figure 8- Wood shutters
Figure 9- window vinyl blind in a room
Figure 10- Draperies
Figure 11- Roller shade

Summary and Recommendations

The beloved homeland, Afghanistan has a quadruple climate. It is hot in summer and cold in winter. In general, in summer time, areas in the south are warmer, and in winter, the areas in the north are cooler. What do you do when it gets very cold in the winter? You probably turn your heater on, put on an extra layer of clothes or cuddle under a warm blanket for maintain comfort, which means that the heat loss in the winter must be replaced by the heating system. The heat gained in the summer must be removed by the cooling system. Properly insulating homes will decrease this heat flow by providing an effective resistance to the flow of heat.

Insulation means creating a barrier between the hot and the cold object that reduces heat transfer by either reflecting thermal radiation or decreasing thermal conduction and convection from one object to the other. The use of energy saving building insulation materials reduces the energy consumption in the long run and strengthens the national economy.

Author’s Biography

Said Sharif Hossainy. Eng. Arch. PhD.
Former deputy minister, Ministry of Urban Development
Senior advisor to the Minister Canadian Architectural Registration No: 2280
Member of the Society of Afghan Architects & Engineers (SAAE) ID No: 0018
Member in the Roster of CANADEM No: 2808 – CANADEM is an Ottawa based non-profit, government related organization, originally designed as Canada’s national roster of civilian experts.
Received an award from the Speaker of the House of Parliament, January 12, 2016 (22-10-1394HS)

Membership News

The 2020 SAE Election

This year the SAE Election Committee will conduct the election process for the positions of the Board of Directors and the President of the Society. The Election Committee has sent the following message by email to the SAE members regarding the election.

The Election Committee Message to SAE Members – June 15, 2020

Dear members of the Society of Afghan Engineers (SAE):

Hope that you and your family members are staying healthy and safe during these hectic times.

It is election time at our beloved Society, the organization that was established 27 years ago with the sole mission of helping our beloved and war-torn Country. A lot has happened over the years and a lot more help is required in rebuilding Afghanistan. Now is time for all of you, especially the younger generation, to get involved and be part of the greater cause. Maybe it is time to give a new face and a new direction to the Society in making a difference in the lives of the people and/or the communities in Afghanistan. Whatever the reason, this is your Society, so get involved and change it for a better future.

Please note that according to the Society’s bylaws, only active members can participate in the elections. An active member is considered an eligible individual who has paid their SAE membership dues, resides in Afghanistan, a retiree, or will pay the membership dues prior to the nomination deadline date of August 1, 2020. Maybe you did not get notified to pledge your dues and activate your membership or maybe it is the chores of the busy life in this hectic time that has prevented you to do so. Whatever the reason might be, please consider becoming an active member to serve our beloved Country.

See attached for the SAE Election 2020 notice. As requested in the attachment, please consider becoming a candidate or nominate another fellow member for one of the ten positions. The due date for nominations is August 1, 2020. Once again, if you are currently not an active member, you can still nominate and will be considered, provided your membership dues are paid by the mentioned deadline.

Please ensure to copy all Election Committee Members as listed in the attachment when sending emails.

Sincerely,
M. Fayeq Fasihi
On behalf of Nazeer Babacarkhial
Chairman, Election Committee

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Society of Afghan Engineers 2020 Election

June 15, 2020

Election Committee:
Mr. Nazeer Babacarkhial- Chairman, Email: nazroad@aol.com
Mr. Hafiz Wardak – Member, Email: hwardak@comcast.net
Mr. Fayeq Fasihi- Member, Email: ffasihi@saniecg.com

This year the members of the Society of Afghan Engineers (SAE) will elect their president and the nine members of the Board of Directors for the 2021-2023 service term.

In accordance with Sections 4-3, 5-3 and 6 of the SAE bylaws, a president and nine board members will be elected from the society active members. An active member is considered an eligible individual who has paid their SAE membership dues, resides in Afghanistan, a retiree, or will pay the membership dues prior to the nomination deadline date of August 1, 2020.

The Election Committee will receive nominations for President and Board Members for the upcoming term as stated in the SAE bylaws and manual. Please note that per Section 3-4(3) of the bylaws, only regular members are allowed as candidates or nominees for these elected positions. Also, please confirm that the potential nominee agrees to be a candidate prior to nominating that person.

All members are cordially invited and strongly encouraged to participate in this year’s election by nominating themselves or another active member as candidates for SAE President or Board Members. The following submissions are required for all nominees.

President- (1 Available Position)
– A short biography of the nominee
– A short essay describing the nominee’s vision for the future of SAE.

Board Members- (9 Available Positions)
– A brief biography of the nominee

Please review the position description and responsibilities as stated in the SAE bylaws and manual before submitting nominations or agreeing to be a candidate.

The Election Committee will create and distribute a voting ballot after the receipt of nominations.

The deadline for the receipt of nominations is August 1, 2020.

Sincerely,
Mr. Nazeer Babacarkhial
Chairman, Election Committee
The Society of Afghan Engineers

The SAE-SAAE Food Donation Project Report

May 10, 2020
By Dr. Zabihullah Mojaddidy

A joint food distribution project was implemented in Kabul during the first week of Ramadhan (April 24 to 30, 2020), funded by the US based Society of Afghan Engineers (SAE) and implemented by the Afghanistan based Society of Afghan Architects and Engineers (SAAE). This project, which targeted the most affected families of the current coronavirus related quarantine in the city, valued at one million five hundred thousand Afghanis, equivalent to US $19,916. Of this amount, US $18,622 was provided by the SAE and AFs. 100,000 was donated by H.E. Engr. Yosuf Pashtoon.

The SAE donation of US $18,622 was initially collected in 2014 for the landslide victims of Argu Village in Badakhshan Province and was transferred to SAAE’s bank account at Afghanistan International Bank (AIB), Kabul. However, at that time, the immediate technical needs of the landslide, which included solving the grave problem of accumulation of a huge quantity of water upstream of the landslide, was taken care of by funds donated by the home based SAAE and AEA (Afghanistan Engineering Association). Safe discharge of this massive volume of water, which seriously threatened four villages located at its downstream was achieved through professional collaboration and selfless efforts of Afghan engineers from the aforementioned two professional societies. At the same time, adequate temporary shelter, food and closings needs were provided to the victims of Argu village by Afghan and international donors. Therefore, both SAAE and SAE were seeking ways to use the fund for social or physical improvement needs of the village. Despite studies conducted by an SAAE team of engineers on five alternate projects for Argu village, none were implemented due to the limited amount of the fund as well as logistic and security limitations. Thus, on suggestions from SAE leadership, this amount was saved by SAAE for a future humanitarian use.

At this time when the spread of coronavirus and the ensuing restrictions on movements in Afghanistan’s most populated city, Kabul, has had a serious adverse economic effect, most hard hit are the poor and unskilled workers who depended on daily income for survival. Cognizant of this situation, SAE president Engr. Atiq Panjsheri, contacted me inquiring about the fund collected for Argu six years ago and asked if this can be used for helping some needy families in Kabul at this time of grave difficulties. This inquiry and the wise suggestion for disposal of the fund was absolutely heartening for me and other members of SAAE leadership. While I am managing the SAAE bank account at AIB and my thought was that we should have this amount untouched in our account, still to make sure, I immediately started sorting our bank statements and transactions of the past six years, learning that the fund is still intact in our account, with the exception of some routine bank service charges. I assured Panjsheri Sahib of the availability of the fund and, with SAE leadership’s permission, work started on a food donation project.

Both SAE and SAAE realized that a best use of the fund will be to assists some families that are hardest hit by the current limitation on movements imposed in Afghanistan due to the spread of coronavirus. As we decided to go ahead with a project of food donation to those in need, Engineer Sahib Yosuf Pashtoon also donated AFs. 100,000 for this effort. Thus, the total amount of US $19,916 was utilized to implement a very effective project of food items distribution, which covered 400 needy families as well as donating some cash to a local orphanage for their needs.

To start the project, SAAE held a meeting of its Executive Council and available members of its Board of Directors, appointed a team under the leadership of SAAE President Engr. Yonus Nawandish and delegated the team to plan and implement the project. The team consisted of the following:

1. Engineer Nawandish; SAAE President,
2. Architect Farhad Azizi; SAAE VP-Architecture,
3. Architect Maroof Astanikzai; SAAE member of Board of Directors,
4. Engr. Bahauddin Waziri; SAAE member of Board of Directors,
5. Mr. Zahid Haqjo; SAAE secretary.

The team came up with a plan to purchase food items for distribution to 400 families at a cost of AFs. 1,472,000. The AFs. 20,500 covered the logistic expenses and the remaining AFs. 22,310 was donated to Omaid Orphanage.

SOME RECIPIENTS OF THE PAPER TOKEN THAT LISTS THE CONTENT OF THE FOOD PACKAGE & ADDRESS AND TEL. NUMBERS OF THE DISTRIBUTING MARKET

Through this effort, each family was provided with a package that consisted of one bag of wheat flour (50 Kg per bag), one bag of high-quality rice (10 Kg per bag) and two container cooking oil (5 Lit. per container).

PURCHASED WHEAT FLOUR AND RICE BAGS STOCKPILED AT THE DISTRIBUTING MARKET WERE MARKED BY SHEETS CONTAINING SAE AND SAAE LOGOS THAT MATCHED THE PAPER TOKENS HANDED TO THE FOOD PACKAGE RECIPIENTS, AS SHOWN HERE

The project planning and implementation consisted of the following main steps to ascertain that crowding is prevented, transparency is assured, and the recipients of food packages are subjected to minimum effort:

• Team recognized a supply market at a best central location of the city, negotiated for low prices and good quality food items, and made the purchase,
• 800 sheets were printed with SAE and SAAE logos and were attached to the wheat flour and rice bags that were purchased and were located at the distribution point (the food market store),
• 400 paper tokens were printed with the same logos as those attached to the food bags. These papers contained the address and telephone numbers of the food store, a list of the contents of food package to be received and each was signed by Nawandish Sahib and stamped by official SAAE stamp,
• These paper tokens were distributed by team members to targeted recipients, at different locations of the Kabul City,
• Each recipient would submit his/her paper token to the food market (distribution point) to receive their food package.
• The team regularly monitored the distribution process at the distribution point to ascertain proper delivery of the food packages!

The Team has kept the detailed documentations of the fund disposal, including pictures of distribution of paper tokens to targeted food recipients, pictures of food item stockpiles marked by SAE-SAAE logos for recognition as well as some pictures of individuals who received their packaged.

SOME RECIPIENTS OF FOOD DONATION PACKAGES

We should thank the SAE for allocating the fund for this effort as well as recognize the efforts of the five-member team who, despite the restrictions imposed and the risks involved, due to the presence of coronavirus, they made sincere efforts to plan and implement this very meaningful food donation project.

About the Author

Dr. Mojaddidy is a Charter Member of the Afghanistan-based Society of Afghan Architects and Engineers (SAAE) as well as member of its Board of Directors and, has served the SAAE as its elected president for two terms. He has also been on Board of Directors of SAE during the years he last resided in the US (1996-2004). He is also a Life Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Charter Member of the Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) in the US as well as member of International Who-is-Who of Professionals, 1997.

Achievements and Awards

The newsletter will inform their readers of winners of awards or any other successes of Afghan professionals and students, especially, their Society members. You can help the SAE eNewsletter editors by providing the news of the achievements, award winners, promotions, retirement, and any other success stories.

“Advise us of success stories or achievements of the Society members, any Afghan professionals, and Afghan students.”

Announcements

(1) The 2020 SAE Membership Renewal

Dear Members of the Society:

The Management of the Society of Afghan Engineers (SAE) would like to remind all members that 2020 membership renewal and Annual fee of $60 are due. Your membership fee collectively would enable us to pay for some basic needed services of the Society such as Website security monitoring, updating, and maintenance. Also, your membership fee would provide SAE’s management, the financial means to organize and host events and seminars on relevant technical topics. The membership renewal application is attached to the Newsletter and also can be downloaded from our website at www.afghan-engineers.org

Please visit the SAE Facebook when you get the opportunity. We appreciate your kind attention to the membership due request.

Sincerely,
Atiq Panjshiri, President
The Society of Afghan Engineers

(2) SAE eNewsletter Regional Representatives

The positions of the SAE eNewsletter Regional Representatives are open. Please let us know if you are interested to volunteer for one of these positions or if you want to nominate other qualified members to serve in these positions. The representatives will inform the newsletter Editorial Board of any technical news in their regions and contact authors for their contributions in the activities of newsletter. For additional information please send an email to SAE eNewsletter Editorial Board.

(3) The SAE Year 2020 Membership Renewal Updates

The following are the status of the membership renewal fee payments and donations to the Society of Afghan Engineers during Year 2020. The SAE management would like to thank all members for their financial support and other contributions to the Society activities.

The Year 2020 Membership Renewal Fee and Donations Paid in Earlier Years

Date	First Name	Last Name	Fee Paid $	Donation $	Total Payment in 2020 $	Remarks
2/26/2018	Abdul Nazeer	Babacarkhial	180	70	0	Paid $250 in 2018 for Years 2018-2020
8/4/2018	Saleh	Keshawarz	180		0	Paid $180 in 2018 for Years 2018-2020

Membership Renewal Fee and Donations in Year 2020

Date	First Name	Last Name	Fee Paid $	Donation $	Total Payment in 2020 $	Remarks
1/07/2020	Atiq	Panjshiri	60		60
2/07/2020	Ghulam	Mujtaba	60	140	200
2/07/2020	Amanullah	Mommandi	60	40	100
12/26/2019	Abdul Manan	Khalid	60	40	100
12/26/2019	Gul Afghan	Saleh	60	40	100
2/29/2020	Hafizullah	Wardak	120		120	Paid $120 for 2020 & 2021
3/03/2020	Hashim	Rayek	60	0	60
3/03/2020	Abdullah	Noorzad	60	0	60
3/03/2020	Shapooor	Hamid	60	0	60
3/03/2020	Najim	Azadzoi	60	0	60
03/05/2020	Sohaila	Shekib	60	60	120
3/05/2020	Nadir	Sidiqi	60	60	120
03/05/2020	Yar Mohammad	Ebadi	60	0	60
03/06/2020	Bahaudin	Mujtaba	60	40	100
03/21/2020	Reza M.	Afshar	60	40	100
3/23/2020	Zarjon	Baha	180	20	200	Paid $180 for 2020 – 2022
3/23/2020	Hashem Baluch		120			Paid $120 for 2020 & 2021
4/28/2020	Steve	Rossi	60	60	120
4/28/2020	Zia	Yamayee	60	200	260
3/23/2020	Abdul Wahed	Hassani	60		60
5/28/2020	Aziz	Ghani	60	0	60
5/31/2020	Rafat	Ludin	120	30	150	Paid $120 for 2019 & 2020
6/17/2020	Sabir M.	Sarwari	180		180	Paid $180 for 2018 – 2020

Obituary

Alhaj Engineer Mir Aqil Shah Sadaat

The Society of Afghan Engineers is saddened for the passing of Alhaj Engineer Mir Aqil Shah Sadaat, former employee of the Ministry of Water and Power, Afghanistan. It is with heavy heart that we must share this sad news with the readers of the SAE eNewsletter. The Society of Afghan Engineers express their condolences to Sadaat family. Thanks to Mr. Aqil Shah Sadaat’s son, Professor Dr. Syed Sher Shah Sadaat, Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Science of Kabul University for sending us his biographical obituary.

Mr. Mir Aqil Shah Sadaat, son of Syed Mir Baqir Shah Sadaat was born in a famous religious family in Kolangar City of Logar, Afghanistan on September 2, 1945 and passed away due to heart attack at the age of 74 in Kabul, Afghanistan on the nineteenth day of Ramadan (May 12, 2020). His funeral and burial services were held in the Mir Abdul Hasan Baba Village of Kolangar City, Logar.

Mr. Aqil Shah finished the elementary religious books at the mosque at his early childhood age. He graduated from Kolangar Elementary School. After graduation from elementary school he was enrolled in Ebnisena Middle School in Kabul. He graduated from Ebnisena Middle School and then enrolled at Afghan Institute of Technology (AIT) high school. After graduation from AIT, he was enrolled at the Faculty of Engineering of Kabul University in 1964 and received his Bachelor of Science (B.S) degree in electrical engineering in 1967.

After completion of his required one-year military service, he started his engineering career with Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation. During his career service he went for 18 months practical engineering training in USA and six months in Egypt. After completion of his practical trainings in USA and Egypt, he returned to Afghanistan to serve Afghan communities and share his scholastic knowledge and experience with other professional staff in the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation.

Engineer Mir Aqil Shah Sadaat was mostly employed in governmental posts. He started his first job with the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation in Kabul. He had also worked with Helmand Construction Company (HCC), Ministry of Water and Power, and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). During President Daoud’s presidency, he served as a member of the Council for Development of Five-Year Development Plan of Afghanistan.

Engineer Mir Aqil Shah Sadaat was employed from 1990 -2003 as a National Professional Project Personnel by the United Nation Development Program under Office for Urban Service Project for the reconstruction activities of Afghanistan, including roadways, bridges, culverts, water reservoirs, and other infrastructures. He also worked with Louis Berger, an international NGO, for several years in Kabul City. Their tasks were to rehabilitate urban areas at Kabul City.

Mr. Sadaat had great respect for all humanity. He had enthusiastic interest with gaining knowledge in several fields. He always encouraged young generation to have goals for improvement of their scholastic background. In this respect, he had selected targets for their children to pursue their higher-level education, as such today his children are all well educated.

Engineer Mir Aqil Shah’s wife has passed away earlier. He is survived by a family of three sons, four daughters, and three daughters-in-laws. His three sons are Syed Sher Shah Sadaat, Sayed Zubair Sadaat, and Syed Naser Shah Sadaat. His four daughters are Noorzia Sadat, Farha, Shekiba, and Zeriba.

His oldest son, Professor Dr. Syed Sher Shah Sadaat is a DVM, PhD, Clinical Pharmacologist, and a professor at Kabul University. He is currently serving as the Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Science of Kabul University. His second son, Dr. Syed Zubair Sadaat is a medical doctor in Afghan Red Cross Society. His third son, Syed Naser Shah Sadaat, is an architect.

His older daughter, Noorzia Sadaat is teacher at Medical Nursing Vocational school known as Professor Ghazanfer Institute. His second daughter, Farha has completed primary and secondary school in Kabul. She worked with the Ministry of Water and Power during 1989-1991. His third daughter, Shekiba has graduated from the Faculty of Chemistry of Kabul University in 2005. She is teaching at a school in Kabul City. His fourth daughter, Zeriba, has completed primary and secondary school in Kabul.

Mr. Mir Aqil Shah Sadaat was a social man. He was held in high regards by his family, relatives, friends, colleagues, and the people of his communities. He has completed his life journey with honor of sincere respect to human beings. He loved peace and prosperity for his beloved country and the entire world. May God bless him and rest his soul in Janna.

Comments and Suggestions

The Editorial Board of the SAE eNewsletter has received comments and suggestions from the respected Society members and readers of the Newsletter after the distribution of the April issue of the newsletter. The Editor has responded to the readers’ comments and suggestions individually by emails upon their receipt; and would like to take this opportunity to thank them again for their comments, suggestions, and kind words.

1. Comment from Engineer Sahib Abdullah Qadir
Dear elder brother, Thanks for the email about new year and wish you all the best with your family. I am glad to have an email from you after long time. I pray for you to be safe and sound of corona virus with your family & relatives. Wish you good health, long life with prosperity in the future life. Also thanks for sharing the newsletter with us to gain more information.

Editor’s Response: Dear Brother Engineer Abdullah Jan Salam: It is a pleasure to read your email and glad to know that you have received the newsletter. We are fine and hoping that this finds you and your respected family in good health and safe from coronavirus.

2. Comment from Dean Dr. Sahib Khojaste Kawish
Dear Engineer Sahib. I hope you are fine. Thank you very much for sending us the April 2020 issue of the newsletter.

Editor’s Response: Dear Dean Dr. Sahib Kawish Salam: Thanks for the email. Hoping that this finds you, your respected family, friends, colleagues, professors, and your students in Herat University in good health and safe from coronavirus.

3. Comment from Dr. Said Sharif Hossainy
Dear Ustad Mohtaram Eng. Saheb G. Mujtaba, Editor-In-Chief SAE eNewsletter. Asallam-o-Alaikom, I acknowledge the receipt of your email regarding the second quarterly issue of the 2020 SAE eNewsletter. May God protect you and all the people of the world from this COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you for your kind efforts and volunteering. I wish you good health and happiness.

Editor’s Response: Dear Dr. Sahib Hosssainy Walaikum Salam; Thanks for the acknowledgment of the receipt of the newsletter and your kind words. It is a pleasure reading your article in the newsletter. Your article has added to the quality of the newsletter. Thanks for your contribution in the activities of the publication of the newsletter by sending us your articles, suggestion, and valuable comments. May God protect us all as well as our countrymen in Afghanistan and the entire World from coronavirus infection disease.

4. Comment from Dr. Bahawodin Baha, Professor at Brighton, UK
Dear Ustad Salaam, Many thanks for sending me your kind emails and SAE eNewsletter, which I always read with great interest. I hope that you and all members of your family are safe and well. This coronavirus crises have unsettled the whole world and I pray Allah SWT to protect us all from this pandemic. We are all safe and well so far and all of us are working from home. Let us hope that this crises is over soon.

Editor’s Response: Dear Dr. Sahib Bahawodin Jana Walaikum Salam: Thanks for your email regarding the receipt of the SAE eNewsletter. You are welcome. I am very pleased to know that you are always reading the newsletter with great interest. It is a pleasure for the Editorial Board of the newsletter and authors like yourself to know that you have enjoyed reading the newsletter. I have copied the Editorial Board members in the email. They also will be very pleased to read your email and comment.

5. Comment from Engineer Najim Azadzoi, President Azad Architects Designers/Planners
Dear respected Ustad Salam: Hoping that this finds you, your respected family, and relatives in good health and May God keep all of us safe from coronavirus pandemic. As always, you have completed the regular on time publication of the SAE eNewsletter. May God give you long and healthy life.

Editor’s response: Dear Engineer Sahib Azadzoi Walaikum Saalm; Thanks for the acknowledgment of the receipt of the SAE eNewsletter and kind words about the continued quarterly publication of the newsletter. It is the joint efforts of the Editorial Board as well as the authors like yourself. Thanks to you for informative articles that you have sent in the past for publication.

6. Comment from Engineer Nadir Noori
Salam Ustad Mohteram. I hope that you and the rest of your families here and abroad are doing fine during these crisis. May Allah protect us all together.

Editor’s response: Dear Engineer Sahib Nader Jan Salam, It is a pleasure to read your email, especially to know that you are in good health and spirit. We are fine and may God keep your respected family and all of us safe and in good health during this coronavirus pandemic.

7. Comment from Engineer Walid Howaida
Dear respected Ustad, Please accept my regards from far away! I read the second topic about underground water resources in Kabul. It was very interesting and useful. I worked with a Canadian company/SNC Lavalin/ Haydrsult from December 2010 till March 2014 as deputy project manager/ team leader for survey and design of 111 small and medium dams. We surveyed 111 sites in 31 provinces of Afghanistan. Water harvesting was a part of the project. I learned that by easy ways we can harvest our underground water resources.

Using surface or runoff water during rainy seasons even the roof water during springs as well as digging wells as a counter lines around mountains around Kabul City and planting trees to absorb runoff water and prevent from floods too.

Another idea which was mentioned by our respected professor Dr. Ata Moh Nazar, when we were studying and he was teaching us from 1977-1982, by building small dams along Kabul river from Paghman and Lugar till Pulicharkhi area would help Kabul underground reservoirs. There are many more other easy ways with very low cost to harvest our underground reservoirs, but when there is a management!!!

Editor’s response: Dear Engineers Sahib Ahmad Wali Jan Salam Alaikum: It is a pleasure to read your email and proud of your experience and accomplishments as project manager of dam projects. I am glad to know that you have enjoyed reading Mr. Mommandi’s groundwater article. I have copied him in this email for his information.

8. Comment from Dr. Zabihullah Mojaddidy
Dear Engr. Sahib Mujtaba, Salaam. I wish to thank you and my dear colleague and friend Wardak Sahib for review of the SAE Donation report. While publishing it at the SAE bulletin is a good idea, please note that this was initially Panjsiri Sahib’s idea. As he, in an email message requested a report stating that SAE intends to publish it in the Bulletin. Therefore, I made it so elaborate a report for newsletter readers.

Editor’s response: Dear Dr. Sahib Mojaddidy, Walaikum Salam: Thanks for your quick and prompt response in sending us the revised version of the subject report at the time that have severe cold. We pray for your quick recovery from the cold/flue and your safety from coronavirus. Thanks for your support of the publishing of the SAE donation article in the July issue of the newsletter.

9. Comment from Engineer Amanullah Mommandi, SAE Vice President
Dear Ustad Salaam. I tried to finish the Kabul City Groundwater Aquifer Storage and Recovery article prior to the deadline. I wanted to use new photos from Logar River and other sites. I got some photos last week and some last night. It may be too late for the July issue. Let’s table it for October 2020. We really appreciate the hard work of the Editorial Board of the SAE eNewsletter. the Voice of SAE. I personally enjoy reading the SAE articles.

Editor’s response: Dear Engineer Sahib Mommandi Walaikum Salam: Thanks for update regarding the submittal of your article. As you have motioned in your email, we will plan for including your article in October 2020 issue of the newsletter.

The Society of Afghan Engineers Organization

SAE Executive Committee Members:
– President: Atiq Panjshiri
– Vice President: Amanullah Mommandi
– Treasurer: Mohammad Hashem Baluch
– Secretary: TBA
– Manager: TBA

SAE Board of Directors-Officers:
– Chairperson: Sohaila Sanie Shekib
– Vice-Chairman: Gul Afghan Saleh
– Executive Director: Abdul Nazeer Babacarkhial

Members SAE Board of Directors:
Farid Abass, Reza Afshar, Nazeer Babacarkhial, Rafaat Ludin, Gul Afghan Saleh, Mahmoud Samizay, Mohammad Saber Sarwary, Sohaila Sanie Shekib, and Hafizullah Wardak

SAE Past Presidents:
Ghulam Mujtaba, Abdul Hadi Rakin, M. Qasem Kadir, Mohammed Hashim Rayek, Ahmad Wali Shairzay, Sohaila Sanie Shekib, and Malik Mortaza

SAE Chairpersons of Committees/Subcommittees:
Ghulam Mujtaba, Chairman – SAE eNewsletter Subcommittee

SAE Local Chapter Coordinators:
A. Hamid Layan – Kabul, Afghanistan; M. Qaseem Naimi – Toronto, Canada; Najim Azadzoi – Massachusetts; M. Qasem Kadir – Southern California; A. Manan Khalid – New York and New Jersey; Amanullah Mommandi – Colorado; Atiq Panjshiri – Virginia and Washington DC

SAE eNewsletter Subcommittee:
– Chairman: Ghulam Mujtaba, M.S, CE, P.E.
– Members: A. Wahed Hassani, Ph.D., P.E.; A. Manan Khalid, M.S., P.E., LEED AP; Hafizullah Wardak; Abdul Hamid Layan.

SAE eNewsletter Editorial Board:
– Editor–In–Chief: Ghulam Mujtaba, M.S, CE, P.E., CPM
– Editorial Board Members: A. Wahed Hassani, Ph.D., P.E.; A. Manan Khalid, M.S., P.E., LEED AP.

SAE eNewsletter Regional Representatives:
– Abdul Hamid Layan – Kabul

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Membership Application

The SAE is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization.
Amount of Annual 2020 Membership: $60.00