The Karzai years come to an end in Afghanistan

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan

Hamid Karzai chaired the Afghan Cabinet for the final time on Monday as the 57-year-old president reached the end of his rule spanning over a decade in a country marred by violence, feudalism and poverty.

Addressing the cabinet, Karzai also known as "the president of tough days" recalled the achievements made during the last decade and wished for a better future for the war-torn country under the new leaders, Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and Abdullah Abdullah.

Karzai congratulated president-elect Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and his chief executive Dr. Abdullah, wished them success and urged them to bury past feuds and strive to serve the nation together. 

The president said he hoped the new presidency would build on the achievements that have been made in the last decade in laying a foundation for Afghanistan’s political, economic, social and cultural growth due to the efforts of the hard working team behind him. 

Back in the 2001, Karzai emerged on the Afghan political arena against all odds as a Pashtun leader - largest ethnic group in Afghanistan, originating from the southern Kandahar province, the birth place of Taliban's brutal regime in late 1990s.

As senior Journalist Noor Saeed explains, the man has made his mark on the Afghan political arena by his wise moves both at the domestic level and in the international front. "He definitely knows the art of running affairs in an impulsive and to some extent divided Afghan society," Saeed said.

Karzai's relations with his western backers, especially the U.S, and NATO, grew frayed in recent years on issues of corruption and civilian casualties.

Though the incumbent president failed to bring an end to Taliban's resistance, despite publicly calling then brethren, his foes credit him for introducing a culture of tolerance, if not transparency and accountability in Afghanistan.

He himself takes credit for the press freedom in the landlocked nation, which until the beginning of the 21st century, had only one broadcasting company firmly under government control. Now, Afghanistan has around 50 private TV channels and over 100 radio stations.

Karzai's deputies, Muhammad Yunus Qanuni and Karim Khalili praised the outgoing president for reviving the state institutions that had collapsed during the civil wars and Taliban rule.

On the personal side, Karzai has two daughters and a son all under the age of 10. He married at the age of  41 - relatively late for an Afghan man, to Zeenat Quaishi, an obstetrician. Karzai lost a brother and cousin in terrorist attacks during his rule.

Karzai will give an official farewell on Tuesday before being replaced by 65 year-old former World Bank economist Ashraf Ghani.

www.aa.com.tr/en