Afghanistan: Government and Politics

The Islamic State of Afghanistan is a land-locked country in south-western Asia. Its neighbours are Turkemenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to the north, Iran to the west, the People’s Republic of China to the north-east and Pakistan to the east and south. The last King of Afghanistan, Mohammad Zahir Shah, reigned from 1933 to 1973. In July 1973, while King Zahir Shah was in Italy, the monarchy was overthrown by a coup in which the main figure was the former Prime Minister, General Daud. The 1964 constitution was renounced and Afghanistan was declared a republic. Since then there has been continous civil war between the government and rebel Moslem forces, resulting in killings and coups. In December 1979 Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. The Soviet intervention came to an end with the complete withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan in early 1989. The Soviet withdrawal, however, did not end the political uncertainty dogging the politics of Afghanistan. In 1994 a newly formed militant Islamic movement "Taliban’ started taking possession of Afghanistan. On 26 September 1996 Taliban forces set up an interim Government under Mohammed Rabbani and Afghanistan was declared a complete Islamic state under Sharia law. The present book is divided into five parts. Part 1 is an introduction to the State of Afghanistan; Part II gives the historical background of the country; Part III throws light on Occupation of Afghanistan by the erstwhile Soviet Union; Part IV studies the Post-Soviet Scenario; Part V is concerned with the Afghanistan’s relations with the international community.