President of Tajikistan President of Tajikistan The President of Tajikistan is the head of state and the highest position within the Government of Tajikistan. The position of President was created in November 1990 while Tajikistan was still a Soviet Republic. The President of Tajikistan lives in the capital, Dushanbe. The first President of Tajikistan was Qahhor Mahkamov, who held the position of First Secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan and was appointed President of the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic in November 1990. Mahkamov served both as First Secretary and President but was forced to resign in August 1991 due to the unpopularity
First Secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan was downgraded in November 1991 when then First Secretary Qahhor Mahkamov was appointed to the newly created executive position of President of the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic. Mahkamov was the last First Secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan to also serve as head of state of Tajikistan when he resigned his office on August 31, 1991 following his support of the August Coup in Moscow. One of the most celebrated First Secretaries was Bobojon Ghafurov, a renowned scholar who wrote numerous works on the history of Tajikistan. See List of Presidents of Tajikistan for leadership of Tajikistan from 1991–present.