海角大神

In a nation battling a resurgence of Taliban fighters and聽insecurity, this city is something different: Its new airport is gleaming and would put many European hubs to shame. Under the rule of strongman governor Atta Mohammad Noor, the road crews here in Mazar-e Sharif are putting down perfect, steaming layers of new asphalt.

Afghanistan may be challenged by聽weak government and donor apathy, but Mr. Noor has long delivered security in the northern聽Balkh Province. In this part of the world, that brings political power. Noor also shows a business acumen that attracts foreign cash. As a teacher-turned-mujahideen commander, he鈥檚 known as a strategic planner able to harness this nation's dual desire for stability and development.

After 11 years of rule, critics say Noor鈥檚 grip on security services 鈥� and nearly every business transaction 鈥� is total. But that presents a real conundrum for this nation: Is the only effective leader in Afghanistan today an autocratic strongman?

Warlords are nothing new

His critics say Noor pressures local media to minimize bad news about rising insecurity, like local聽killings and kidnappings.聽A brazen Taliban attack last April on the local attorney general鈥檚 office that left 24 people dead 鈥撀爅ust around the corner from Noor鈥檚 own fortified office complex 鈥� was for many a wake-up call.

Afghans well know the perils of authoritarian local leaders. The term 鈥渨arlord鈥� has been used for decades. 聽Many of these strong figures聽are neither effective nor benevolent; the worst appear harmful at a time when institutions in the capital, Kabul, are weak.

But in the face of the real issues of Taliban insurgency, corruption, and misrule, is Noor the best option?

鈥淎t a time when lots of the country is on fire, I think there is some appreciation for pockets of stability like Mazar,鈥� says a Western official in Kabul who could not be further identified. Yet he points out that, 鈥淵ou鈥檝e created a very fragile system that is dependent on a single personality, so if that one personality gets killed or leaves, you鈥檝e got a very difficult situation.鈥�

To be sure, Noor has benefited from geography. This province is far from the eastern and southern regions of Afghanistan, where the Taliban have hit hardest.

But now rumors are circulating of an imminent, complex Taliban attack on this city. And there are rumors, too, that Noor鈥檚 long run may soon be over if President Ashraf Ghani names a successor.

Shrapnel-riddled furniture

The new risk is evident at the attorney general鈥檚 office, where a mountain of bullet and shrapnel-riddled furniture has yet to be removed from the April blast.

鈥淚f the media and Kabul dignitaries told you that Balkh is safe, that is a big mistake,鈥� says Said Zahir Masroor, a local member of parliament. He ticks off the names of more than half of Balkh鈥檚 districts that he says are 鈥渦nder the influence鈥� of Islamists and the Taliban, where people can鈥檛 safely travel from village to village.

鈥淪ecurity becomes worse day by day. Compared to a year ago, it has become very bad,鈥� says Mr. Masroor, speaking at his guarded residence in Mazar-e Sharif.

He says 鈥渕any people鈥� no longer support Noor, and that there have been a number of killings and kidnappings, but 鈥渞eal news is not released鈥� due pressure from the governor鈥檚 office.

The governor鈥檚 office disputes that it controls the media. Their officials say close cooperation among security forces has prevented several Taliban attacks in recent months.

鈥淏alkh is more secure than other provinces, and the reason is our champion leader,鈥� says the governor鈥檚 spokesman, Monir Farhad. 鈥淚n Balkh the Taliban are very strong 鈥� they are not weak, [but] in no district, in no village will anyone help the Taliban.鈥�

If fighting breaks out, Noor 鈥渨ears a uniform and goes to the frontline,鈥� says Mr. Farhad. 鈥淚 wish other governors would be like this.鈥�

Noor鈥檚 large profile has aided him in attracting donors. Among big-ticket projects, the airport was funded by Germany and the United Arab Emirates; German money is paving the ring road around the city. Direct access to the border with Uzbekistan has also provided cash.

鈥淵ou鈥檝e seen the emergence of a single, preeminent strongman who has massive access to licit and illicit sources of revenue,鈥� says the Western official, who jokingly describes Noor as 鈥淟ord of the Independent Republic of Mazaristan.鈥�

The go-to guy in Mazar

鈥淚f you want to do business in Mazar 鈥� and many do,鈥� he adds, Noor is 鈥渢he go-to guy.鈥�

Some people now say he is a thief and others complain that his control of information means that it appears that Noor as governor has orchestrated every improvement.

Yet again many locals say that life without Noor may not be so attractive.

鈥淏alkh [Province] is a place where the governor is working and people respect him and obey him,鈥� says Sara Bahai, a women鈥檚 rights activist and a female taxi driver 鈥� a job virtually exclusive to men in Afghanistan. 鈥淚f a family has a good leader, the family does everything in a right way.鈥�

Indeed, one young man approached a foreign visitor outside an ornate, turquoise-tiled shrine, just to praise Noor.

But the Taliban attack in April 鈥渕ade people feel insecure,鈥� says civil society activist Hadia Essazada, who works for the Czech Republic organization People In Need, which saw nine of its staff in another district murdered in a private dispute in June. She says security is deteriorating fast.

鈥淭wo years ago I felt I lived in the most secure place in Afghanistan, but not now,鈥� says Ms. Essazada. She can no longer walk after dark, and says she even feels insecure in her car 鈥渂ecause something could go wrong.鈥澛�