CNN
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See the life of Afghanistan’s former president, Hamid Karzai.
birthday: December 24, 1957
Birthplace: Afghanistan, Kandahar
father: Abdul Ahad Karzai, politician
mother: Mother’s name not disclosed
marriage: Zinat Kraisi Karzai (1999-)
Children: The daughter’s name has not been released. 2016. Hausi, 2014; Malalai, 2012. Mirwais, 2007
education: Himachal University, India, MA in Political Science
A member of the Popalzai clan, part of the larger Pashtun tribe.
Karzai was educated in India and is fluent in several languages including English, Pashto, Dari and Urdu.
His grandfather, Khair Mohammad Khan, served as Deputy Speaker of the Afghan Parliament.
His father was a high official in the government of King Muhammad Zahir Shah.
1979- After the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Karzai and his father fled to Pakistan.
1992-1993 – After the withdrawal of the Soviet Union, he served as Deputy Foreign Minister in the government of Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani.
mid 1990s – Temporarily allied with the Taliban.
1996 – Decline an invitation to become a Taliban ambassador to the United Nations.
1999 – Karzai’s father was killed by the Taliban in Quetta, Pakistan.
October 2001 – Infiltrated Afghanistan from Pakistan to foment an uprising against the Taliban.
From November 2001 Rescued by US forces during a skirmish with Taliban fighters.
December 2001 – Karzai is elected interim leader of Afghanistan.
From December 5, 2001 Slightly injured by an errant US bomb.
December 22, 2001 – Appointed interim president in Kabul.
From January 2002 Visit the United States and the United Nations. Honored guest of President George W. Bush’s State of the Union address.
June 13, 2002 – At the Loya Jirga, Karzai was nominated president of Afghanistan for a two-year term.
September 5, 2002 – Survived an assassination attempt in his hometown of Kandahar.
February 26-28, 2003 – Travels to the United States to meet with President Bush and answer questions about progress in Afghanistan during a meeting with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
November 3, 2004 – Formally elected president of Afghanistan.
December 7, 2004 – Became president of Afghanistan.
September 18, 2005 – House of Representatives election for the first time in 30 years.
April 27, 2008 – narrowly escapes an assassination attempt at a military parade in Kabul.
March 29, 2009 – After the presidential election date was moved to August 2009, Afghanistan’s Supreme Court ruled that Mr. Karzai would serve three months in office after his term ended in May.
From August 20, 2009 Afghanistan holds its second presidential election. Karzai scored a landslide victory despite low voter turnout and widespread allegations of intimidation and fraud.
October 31, 2009 – The run-off vote was canceled after Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah dropped out, leaving Karzai as the sole candidate and winner by default.
November 19, 2009 – Karzai was sworn in for a second term as president of Afghanistan.
From May 12, 2010 Meeting with US President Barack Obama at the White House.
From July 20, 2010 He announced that he hopes the Afghan security forces will lead military operations in Afghanistan by 2014.
January 26, 2011 – Inaugurate the National Assembly and end the political conflict between Karzai and the Assembly. The inauguration comes four months after a national election that critics said was marked by massive fraud.
From September 29, 2014 resigned as president.
From June 2015 Traveled to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
From February 5, 2019 Travel to Moscow for a two-day conference to meet Taliban members and other key Afghan figures and set the stage for peace talks.
From December 2, 2021 After the Taliban takeover in August, BBC interview, Karzai calls the Taliban “brothers” and urges Afghans who left Afghanistan to return. Karzai also urges the United States to come back to help the people of Afghanistan. Karzai says they have discussed when Afghan women and girls will go back to school and work.
From December 3, 2022 He left Afghanistan for the first time since the Taliban took power in August 2021. Karzai reportedly faced travel restrictions. He plans to visit the United Arab Emirates and then Germany.
