Hamid Karzai

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai came into prominence in December 2001 when he was selected by the International Conference on Afghanistan in Germany to lead as Chairman of the Interim Administration after the oppressive Taliban regime was bombed out of power by the coalition of US-led Nato forces.[caption id="attachment_98890" align="alignleft" width="380" caption="Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters"][/caption] Post his role as Chairman for six months initially, the country's assembly called loya jirga chose him as Interim President for two years in 2002. Karzai finally became a full-fledged President after he won the presidential polls in 2004.Born in 24 December 1957 at Karz village in Afghanistan, Karzai did his post graduation from India before moving to Pakistan to support the US-backed Mujahideens against the invading Soviet forces in Afghanistan in 1980.He became director of information at the Afghan National Liberation Front. Significantly, Karzai supported the Taliban in the early 1990s but the love soon evaporated in 1994 as he developed doubts over the movement owing to foreign control. This separation from Taliban later paved his way to assume his role at the country's highest office. Karzai, who emerged as a potent political force in war-stricken Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom already completed one term of presidency in 2009 and is at present continuing his second one. He regained the position after winning the presidential polls for the second time consecutively in 2009. The Afghanistan President, who shares a love-hate relationship with Pakistan, is a clear favourite of the White House. Relations with Pakistan are however improving once Asif Ali Zardari and Yousuf Raza Gilani assumed office as President and Prime Minister respectively. Karzai is also known to share bonhomie with Iran as by the Afghanistan President's own admission Tehran directly provides millions of dollars directly to his office. The war-torn nation is still running on international aids and is yet to build a formidable infrastructure and defence force. Running a nation on alms is not an easy task and for Karzai, his job is unenviable at least in near future given the security situation in the country virtually occupied by foreign forces.The Afghan President has so far survived four assassination attempts.