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Afghanistan
Afghan leaders queue up for audience with former king
2002-04-19
  • Provincial governors and tribal leaders were lining up hoping for an audience with Afghanistan's ageing former king Mohammed Zahir Shah after his return from 29 years in exile. The 87-year-old was not scheduled to make any public appearances on his first full day back in his homeland since he was ousted in a 1973 coup and was expected to remain in his closely-guarded residence for much of the day Friday.
    This is really the only guy in Afghanistan today who has any pretense of legitimacy, so...
    Italy's Deputy Foreign Minister Margharita Boniva, who accompanied Zahir Shah on his return, told reporters here late Thursday that his homecoming had been postponed due to intelligence of an assassination plot. "The threats were not only to his life when he would arrive but during the flight and especially during the landing part of the trip. Quite obviously we could not ignore that sort of intelligence," she said. Asked if the threat was from Taliban and al-Qaeda supporters, Boniva said the intelligence report "did mention terrorist attacks coming possibly from al-Qaeda -- a lot were from abroad".
    The Talibs and al-Qaeda will be jumping through hoops to try and get a few rounds through the old man. So will Hekmatyar, Rasool Sayyaf, and possibly Rabbani. Plus some other fellows who want to be in the same class.
    But other than the heavy security presence around his home here Friday, the only other people outside were regional dignitaries hoping to wish Zahir Shah a warm welcome. Mohammad Ali Jalali, governor of the eastern province of Paktika, was one of a group of senior leaders expecting to speak with the ex-king. "I will not be making any request of him. I just want to welcome him back to his home," Jalali told AFP as he waited patiently under a tree by Zahir Shah's residence in the up-market Wazir Akbar Khan neighbourhood. "He is the one man who can join all the ethnic groups of Afghanistan together again. There is no one else who can fulfill that role.
    It's curious, but when he was in Italy, out of sight, out of mind, there wasn't much to him. Just having him back in the country increases his following. Guess everyone can hope.
    • Posted by:Fred Pruitt

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