Hamid Karzai

President of Afghanistan

24 December 1957 Karz, Kandahar, Kingdom of Afghanistan

-

22 December 2001 – 29 September 2014 Acting: 22 December 2001 – 13 July 2002

Former President of Afghanistan "Karzai" redirects here. For the surname, see Karzai (surname). Hamid Karzai (Pashto/Dari: حامد کرزی ‎; /ˈ h æ m ɪ d ˈ k ɑːr z aɪ / ; born 24 December 1957) is an Afghan politician who served as President of Afghanistan from 22 December 2001 to 29 September 2014. He is also the leader of the Popalzai Durrani tribe of Kandahar. Born in Kandahar, Karzai graduated from Kabul's Habibia High School and later received a master's degree in India in the 1980s. He moved to Pakistan where he was active as a fundraiser for the mujahideen during the Soviet–Afghan War (1979–1989) and its aftermath. He briefly served as Deputy Foreign Minister in the Islamic State of Afghanistan government. In July 1999 Karzai's father was assassinated and Karzai succeeded him as head of the Popalzai tribe. In October 2001 the United States invasion of Afghanistan began and Karzai led tribes around Kandahar against the Taliban; he became a dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001. During the December 2001 International Conference on Afghanistan in Germany, Karzai was selected by prominent Afghan political figures to serve a six-month term as chairman of the Interim Administration. He was then chosen for a two-year term as interim president during the 2002 loya jirga (grand assembly) that was held in Kabul, Afghanistan. After the 2004 presidential election, Karzai was declared the winner and became President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. He won a second five-year term in the 2009 presidential election; this term ended in September 2014, succeeded by Ashraf Ghani. During his time, Karzai was known in the international community for his charisma, his tribal robe and lambskin hat, and for being an alliance builder between Afghanistan's communities. In later years, his relationship with NATO and the United States became increasingly strained, and he has been accused several times of corruption.