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| Afghanistan King Returns to his Palace | |
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Mohammad Zaher Shah, Afghanistan’s former king, moved back into his royal palace four months after returning from exile and 29 years after being driven from the throne in a family coup.
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The King, affectionately known as ‘Baba’ or ‘Father’, reciprocated and expressed his pleasure at being with his "sons" (referring to Karzai and top officials who welcomed him). Impeccably dressed, Zaher Shah also expressed his gratitude to the people of Afghanistan for placing their confidence in him and in Karzai so that they could "work together for the benefit and well-being of the country." | |
After
30 years of exile, Afghanistan’s former king, Mohammad Zaher Shah,
finally moved back into the royal palace in August this year. And he was
obviously a very happy man. "It is a great pleasure," he said, adding
poetically, "even the birds are coming back to their nests." Although
Zaher Shah had returned to Afghanistan in April after the Taliban had
been ousted, he had been living in a two-storey house in a street near
the old royal palace. Obviously, the new Afghan government feared that
if the King moved back straight into the palace, it might indicate that
the government favoured the restoration of the monarchy. However, after
he decided not to stand against Hamid Karzai, who was chosen president
of Afghanistan, and because of the people’s sentimental regard for the
87-year old Zaher Shah, the Loya Jirga, in its meeting in June, decided
to allow the King to return to his palace. The royal palace—known as the
Haram Sarai—stands around a courtyard with a fountain as the centrepiece.
Many people still remember the King in his younger, and happier days,
when he lived in the palace. His favourite room was decorated with
miniatures of hunting scenes and a marble fireplace. The palace was
destroyed by the British and rebuilt in 1873. Today, it is a group of
palaces built by various Afghan rulers. War and battle are built into
the Afghan ethos, and it seems almost natural that the palace buildings
are heavily fortified and bear the scars of many wars. The latest war
against the Taliban has left the royal complex with heaps of debris and
bullet and shell scars. Mohammad Zaher Shah was toppled from the throne
of Afghanistan in 1973 by Mohammad Daoud, his cousin. He was forced into
exile and settled in Rome. After his departure, Afghanistan was
embroiled in wars, almost continuously, for 27 years. The last war ended
in December last year, when the Taliban regime was toppled by U. S.
forces. All through his long exile, a large group of staunch loyalists
looked on Zaher Shah as a symbol of peace and stability. It was only
natural that he should be brought back to his country. Although not all
sects in Afghanistan favour him, he is much esteemed among the strongest
sect, the Pashtuns, to which he, along with President Karzai, belong.
Many Afghans still call him the King and are happy that he and his 12
family members are back in their midst. "We are happy he is back and
will spend the rest of his life here," said President Karzai, welcoming
him back at a tea party in his honour. 