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Afghan President Hamid Karzai makes a
speech during a campaign rally at the Kabul stadium October 6, 2004. With just
three days to go before historic elections, President Hamid Karzai urged Afghans
to follow the example of their warrior ancestors and become heroes -- but of the
ballot box and not the battlefield. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo Desmond Boylan)
Afghan President Hamid Karzai (C)
waves to supporters while arriving at an electoral rally at Kabul stadium, 06
October 2004. Meanwhile, two people were killed when a bomb exploded at a rally
held by Afghan President Hamid Karzai 's running mate in northern Afghanistan.
(Xinhua/AFP Photo Emmanuel DUNAND)
ĦĦBEIJING, Oct. 7 (Xinhuanet) -- Afghanistan holds its landmark presidential
election on Saturday with Hamid Karzai, current head of the transitional
government, being the favorite to win the poll.
Born on Dec. 24, 1954, in Kandahar, a stronghold of Afghanistan's largest
ethnic group, the Pashtuns, Karzai is a distant relative of former King Mohammad
Zahir Shah.
After the deposition of Zahir Shah in 1973, Karzai and his family went into exile
in foreign countries. He later participated in the movement against the
Soviet invasion.
After the fall of the puppet government of Najibullah in 1992, Karzai
entered Burhanuddin Rabbani's government as deputy foreign minister.
In 1997, he moved to Pakistan and began political activities aimed at
mustering support for the former king.
After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States, he returned to
Afghanistan secretly and brought together forces in Kandahar to fight the
Taliban regime.
On Dec. 5, 2001, he was picked as leader of an Interim Authority, a
coalition of various political factions.
In June 2002, Karzai was elected president of the transitional government
at the Loya Jirga, or grand assembly.
Karzai, good at reconciling various ethnic groups and factions,has
generally won support and trust of the Afghan public and the international
community.
He once studied in India and the United States and is fluent in English.
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