Jalal ud-Din
belongs to Pashtun Zadran tribe and was born in Paktia,
Afghanistan. He received his early education through a
local religious seminary and then attended the Dar
ul-Ulum Haqqani Madrassa in Akora Khattak, Pakistan. In
the early years of turmoil in Afghanistan from 1976 –
1979, Haqqani was a member of anti- Soviet Hizb-e Islami.
Due to splits within the group, he later joined Hizb-e
Islami-Khalis. From 1981 – 1986 Haqqani consolidated his
position both in Afghanistan and also in the tribal
region of Pakistan. During the anti-Soviet campaign
Haqanni gained support in Pakistan, Middle East and also
in the U.S., where he visited to meet President Ronald
Reagan at the White House. Haqanni joined the Taliban in
1995 and was later awarded the Ministry of Borders and
Tribal Affairs. After the initiation of U.S. invasion of
Afghanistan the Haqanni Network was constituted, which
due to his health conditions is now being led by his son
Jalal ud-Din Haqqani.