Encyclopaedia of Afghanistan (Kingship In Afghanistan)

Afghanistan: The Land and People

Afghanistan emerged as a separate Kingdom in the mid-18th century under Ahmed Shah Abdali (Durrani), one of the mighty commanders of Nadir Shah of Persia. Despite foreign interventions, various ups and downs, feudal and tribal conflicts, as well as frequent violence between the numerous segments of the power structure, Afghanistan has continued as a geo-political entity till to date.

In a demographic sense, Afghanistan is a plural, multi-ethnic, and multi-lingual country. Pashtuns or Pathans constitute the majority of the people, with other major ethnic groups being Hazaras, Tadjiks, Uzbeks, Uigurs, and Nuristanis. Islam, Sunni of the Hanafi sect, is the state religion to which more than 90% of the people adhere, the remaining being Shias. The main language spoken is Pushtu, and the second important language is Dari, a derivative of Persian.

Afghanistan: Customs and Traditions

Afghanistan has been an area of imperial ambitions and competition throughout medieval and modern history. The Great Game of competition is being played between western democracies led by the US on the one hand and other fundamentalist groups on the other.

Kingship in Afghanistan

After the USSR's withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Taliban captured power. This fundamentalist group, patronized by Osama bin Laden in connivance with Pakistan, later became the arch-enemy of America.

Communist Rule in Afghanistan

During this period, Afghanistan experienced a different political phase, which significantly impacted its history and development.

Taliban and Muslim Fundamentalism

On September 11, 2001, Laden masterminded an attack on America’s WTC and Pentagon, collapsing the monumental twin towers of WTC and partially damaging the Pentagon. This event was beyond everybody’s imagination.

US War on Terrorism in Afghanistan & Aftermath

In the ongoing civil war, Afghanistan’s economy was devastated, leaving the people poverty-stricken and paupered. Currently, in the name of eliminating terrorism, the US is engaged in fierce war in Afghanistan. Taliban has vanished, and a new interim government under Hamid Karzai has been sworn in. The process of recreating a new Afghanistan is underway.