New mayor appointed to Sharof Rashidov district after predecessor caught taking bribe

An extraordinary session of the District Council of People’s Deputies was held in the Sharof Rashidov district of Jizzakh region today, August 22, during which a new head of the district was appointed, the regional administration’s press service reported.

At the session, the candidacy of Asilbek Rahmonovich Ashurov was proposed for the position of mayor of the Sharof Rashidov district by Ulugbek Mustafoev, Acting Governor of the region. His candidacy was unanimously approved by the deputies.

Asilbek Ashurov had been serving as the mayor of the Paxtakor district since 2022.

The former mayor of the Sharof Rashidov district in Jizzakh region, Mahmud Kholbotayev, was arrested on July 8. Despite being in custody, it was revealed that decisions were issued on his behalf, with five such decisions uploaded to the e-Qaror platform.

In particular, according to the July 8, 2025, decision of the District Council of People’s Deputies, 42 million soums were allocated to the district Improvement department to organize festive events on May 9, the Day of Remembrance and Honor, including tidying up the central street of the district and purchasing flags. The same decision also allocated 70 million soums for the purchase of slate to repair the deteriorated roofs of multi-storey residential buildings in the district. Another decision made on the same day provided 150 million soums to strengthen the material and technical base of the district administration, cover debts arising from the purchase of office supplies, repair office equipment, and procure household goods.

In addition, under the decisions dated July 9, 100 million soums were allocated to strengthen the material and technical base of the Family and Women’s departments established in the district, 200 million soums for the construction of an artificial-turf mini football field in the Otchopar residential area of Toqchilik neighborhood, and 400 million soums for the current repair of a building under the district Department of Culture in the Qulpisar neighborhood. Furthermore, 255 million soums were allocated to bolster the material and technical base of the district administration, cover debts incurred in the purchase of office supplies, repair office equipment, and procure household goods.

Regarding the case, the Jizzakh regional prosecutor’s office issued an official statement, noting that the Sharof Rashidov district prosecutor’s office is conducting a pre-investigation review. The regional prosecutor’s office has taken the case under control to ensure that a lawful decision is made based on the collected documents.