Afghanistan's former king returns to homeland

Zaher Shah ends 29-year exile

STEVEN GUTKIN, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Originally published Thursday, April 18, 2002

KABUL, Afghanistan --Afghanistan's deposed monarch, Mohammad Zaher Shah, ended a 29-year exile this morning, arriving at Kabul airport to a crowd of dignitaries and an honor guard -- a historic return that many believe will help stabilize the war-ravaged country and unify its ethnic and tribal groups.

Flown in on an Italian military aircraft from Rome, Zaher Shah was accompanied by Afghanistan's interim leader Hamid Karzai and six Afghan Cabinet ministers.

An honor guard stood on either side of a red carpet laid out at the base of the steps of the plane.

Dozens of tribal leaders wearing traditional tunics and turbans awaited the arrival of the royal entourage on the tarmac. Women in brightly colored outfits held up pictures of the king.

U.N. special envoy to Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, and powerful Afghan warlord Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum were among those awaiting the former king.

Zahir Shah shook hands and hugged some of the supporters before getting into his waiting car and being driven off.

Tight security

About two dozen International Security Assistance Force troops kept a close eye with binoculars from the control tower.

Well-armed peacekeepers and Afghan troops lined the road to the Kabul airport, while tanks and other armored vehicles stood by at the ready.

Jeeps mounted with machineguns zipped back and forth on the runways before the king's plane touched down.

Peacekeepers with dogs patrolled throughout the area, and even those accredited to witness the king's arrival had to pass through five checkpoints where clothes and bags were carefully inspected by guards.

In Rome, it was a no-frills farewell. Two Italian air force guards stood at attention on either side of the aircraft, saluting as Zaher Shah walked up the stairs without assistance, despite his age.

Zaher Shah, wearing a brown leather jacket and a brown tweed cap instead of his usual more formal attire, waved to reporters as he boarded the plane, but made no statement.

"It's a significant day," Karzai said earlier. "His presence there I'm sure will add to stability and peace in Afghanistan. "

Greetings from Uzbekistan

The king's plane landed for a refueling stop in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov had the king and Karzai inside for breakfast and tea.

Zaher Shah thanked Kamilov for his wishes after the foreign minister told the 87-year-old king he hoped life in Afghanistan would soon return "to normal" and flourish.

Karzai had earlier dismissed concerns about the king's safety in Afghanistan, saying a three-week delay in his trip was prompted by the perception in Italy and elsewhere of threats against him -- not the reality on the ground.

"I'm very sure (security) has been maintained so far and will be maintained further," he said.

The king has said he has no plans to restore the monarchy, but many Afghans believe he will serve as a unifying and stabilizing figure for a country devastated by 23 years of war, poverty, and tribal and ethnic divisions.

In June, the former monarch is to preside over a grand national assembly of tribal leaders and other Afghan representatives who will select a transitional government that will rule Afghanistan until elections.

Zaher Shah was deposed in 1973 by a cousin, Mohammed Daoud, while vacationing in Italy and has lived there ever since.

His return became possible after U.S.-led forces ousted Afghanistan's hard-line Taliban rulers last year.

The king spent the last day of his exile at his heavily guarded home in a gated community on Rome's outskirts, surrounded by friends, advisers and family members, several of whom will travel with him to Kabul.

"He is totally relaxed," spokesman Hamid Sidiq said. "He is with his kids, the family members. They are really in a very good mood. They are looking forward to being home very soon."

Zaher Shah was to have returned to Afghanistan last month, but the trip was postponed after Italian and U.S. officials said they had credible reports of plots to kill him. Since then, 40 Afghan bodyguards have been trained by peacekeepers in Kabul and security around the villa where the king will live has been stepped up.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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