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Former Afghan King Returns Home To Uncertain Future
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| Security was stepped up for the former king’s return
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By
Hosbanullah Mutawakil, IOL Afghanistan correspondent
KABUL,
April 18 (IslamOnline) – War-ravaged Afghanistan welcomed back its
87-year-old former king, Mohammed Zahir Shah, Thursday, April 18,
after he spent 29 years in exile in Italy by spreading armored tanks
and more than 150 Afghani soldiers around his Kabul residence.
These
stepped-up security procedures mean to thwart any protests coming from
those who oppose the king’s return.
There
is a split among Afghan factions regarding the return of the king.
Some
parties completely support the king’s return, even if it entails the
reinstitution of the monarchy, as they see Zahir Shah as the only
person who can unite the Afghani people.
Other
parties support this return, but only on the condition that he lives a
life of a private citizen, and does not nurture any political
aspirations of restoring the monarchy.
These
include Ahmed Gilani’s National Islamic Front, Sibghatullah’s
National Rescue Front, Mohammad Nabiy Mohammadi’s Islamic Revolution
Movement, Abdul Rashid Dostum’s National Movement, and various
Pushtoon tribes in Afhganistan, especially those in the south, east,
and southeast.
Gilani
described the return of Zahir Shah as a “useful” step for the
rehabilitation of Afghanistan.
Ahmed
Qadi, a well-known fighter, says that “Zahir Shah has the right to
live in Afghanistan as a citizen who can influence and push for
peace.”
Bakhtar
Ameen Zai, the director of the Darul Shifa Hospital, says that the
return of Zahir Shah is a
good thing. He also asked all factions to help the former king rebuild
the country and restore peace.
However,
there are also Afghani elements that are opposed to the former
king’s return. These include Ahmed Shah Masood’s supporters,
Burhanuddin Rabbani’s Jamiat Islamiya, Abdurasool Siyaf’s Islamic
Union, Hekmatyar’s Islamic Party, as well as the ousted Taliban.
Mohammed
Zahir Shah is the son of Mohammed Nadir Shah, who was also the king of
Afghanistan until his assassination in 1929.
Zahir
Shah took the throne at the age of 18, and continued to rule the
country until 1973, when a bloodless coup deposed him when he was on a
visit to Rome, Italy. After his overthrow, he chose a life of exile in
Italy. His 30 year stay in Italy was paid for the Italian government.
In
1991, he was subject to an assassination attempt in Rome, in which he
was wounded.
Zahir
Shah did not achieve anything worthy of note during his reign in the
way of improving lifestyle of Afghans. He was more interested in
luxurious living and expensive tastes.
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