Former King Returns to Presidential Palace

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, August 05, 2002

Former King Returns to Presidential Palace

Former Afghan King Zahir Shah Sunday returned to the presidential palace after he was toppled down in amilitary coup by his cousin, former President Daoud Khan, in July 1973.

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Former Afghan King Zahir Shah Sunday returned to the presidential palace after he was toppled down in amilitary coup by his cousin, former President Daoud Khan, in July 1973.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his cabinet members accompanied the former king from his temporary house of Castle No.8 in Wazir Akbar Khan district to the presidential palace.

The former king has been living in his temporary house since hereturned to Kabul in April after 29 years of exile in Rome, Italy.

"It is a pleasant occasion today, during which we can see Father of the Nation is among us. We feel very happy that Father of the Nation returns to his home where he lived for a long time. We wish him a long life," Karzai said at a ceremony held in the presidential palace.

The 87-year-old former monarch, who just lost his wife in June,thanked Karzai and the Afghan people for the privileges they had given him.

"Today I also feel happy to find myself among my people. My respectable people give me the privilege to live in the presidential palace. I appreciate that very much," he said.

"The achievements of Afghanistan made during the past eight months should be contributed to the confidence our people have placed on the government and myself."

Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Omar Samad told Xinhua in a telephone interview that President Karzai proclaimed the former king "Father of the Nation" during the Loya Jirga held here from June 11 to 19.

"One of the privileges accorded to the former king as the Father of the Nation is to return to the presidential palace," he added.

He said that after moving into the presidential palace, the former king and his family members would be protected by his bodyguards, who were trained by Italian close protection forces, and also by Afghan governmental guards and U.S. special forces, who are in charge of the security of the presidential palace.

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