I’ve heard/read/seen some ideas floated that the former king of Afghanistan (deposed 28 years ago while getting a med check in Europe) may be the one who could unite the Taliban opposition. Not that I see this happening anytime soon…
So what’s he/his family been doing for the past 30 years? What was his track record as head honcho (good, bad, ineffective)? I’ve been poking around the net and have found some info that doesn’t even skim what he was like as boss.
Anyone have some insight?
This is from the Chambers Biographical Dictionary:
Zahir Shah, King Mohammed 1914- (King Of Afghanistan):
'Educated in Kabul and Paris, he was Assistant Minister for National Defence and Education Minister before succeeding to the throne in 1933 after the assassination of his father Nadir Shah.
His reign was characterised by a concern to preserve neutrality and promote gradual modernisation. He became a constitutional monarch in 1964, but, in 1973, while in Italy receiving medical treatment, was overthrown in a republican coup led by his cousin, General Daud Khan, following a three-year famine.
Since then he has lived in exile in Rome and remains a popular symbol of national unity for moderate Afghan opposition groups. He was stripped of his citizenship in 1978 after a Communist takeover, but it was later restored in 1991.’
Not much to work with but I’ll try to find some more detail.
I’ll close this thread since this topic has been discussed so recently. I direct any remaining unanswered questions to the earlier thread, King of Afghanistan?
bibliophage
moderator GQ