Mohammad Zahir Shah

Kabul, July 23 (AP): Mohammad Zahir Shah, the last king of Afghanistan who returned from three decades of exile to bless his war-battered country’s fragile course toward democracy, has died, President Hamid Karzai said today. He was 92.

Zahir Shah was a symbol of yearned-for peace and unity in a nation still struggling to emerge from the turmoil that began with his 1973 ouster in a palace coup.

When the fall of the Taliban at the end of 2001 offered fresh hope for national reconciliation, many clamoured for Zahir Shah’s return — not only from exile but to retake the throne.

Zahir Shah returned home from Italy in April 2002, but stood aside in favour of a young anti-Taliban tribesman, President Hamid Karzai. A new constitution passed in January 2004 consigned the monarchy to history with Zahir Shah named the ceremonial “Father of the Nation”, a position that will dissolve with his death.

“The people are relying on you and you should not forget them,” the monarch told the loya jirga, or grand assembly, which ratified the charter. “I hope you will try your best to maintain peace, stability and the unity of the Afghan people.”