Bahadar Panwar
Bahadar Panwar | |
|---|---|
 Panwar in 2022 | |
| 4th President of Elastan | |
| In office 11 April 2002 – 16 December 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Ilhaddan Khan |
| Succeeded by | Hossein Usavi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 23 September 1951 Eritba, Elastan |
| Political party | Elastan National League |
| Children | 4, including Hamza Panwar |
Bahadar Panwar (born September 23rd, 1951) is an Elastani politician and former military commander who was the President of Elastan from 2002 until his ouster in 2023. Panwar began his career as an officer in the Elastan Armed Forces and rose to prominence. Upon being elected president in 2002, he initiated ambitious infrastructure projects and was noted for his efficient governance. After his sweeping reelections in 2006 and 2010, which were called illegitimate by opposition leaders Hossein Usavi and Mayadav Roubi, as well as international observers, he promptly used executive powers to suspend elections and take absolute control of the government, appointing loyalists to cabinet positions and squashing dissent. He has been widely criticized internationally for his support of terrorist groups like the Malvarian Liberation Front and Al-Fijar, harboring CCA-wanted fugitives like Michel Lukonde, and instigating the Haduastan War.
Following widespread demonstrations against his regime in 2023, military commanders opposed to his controversial orders in Haduastan undertook a coup, which ousted Panwar and forced him to flee to Louhezhan, Yuan, where he was granted asylum.