Karzai sworn in as Afghan president for 2nd term
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The incumbent Afghan president Hamid Karzai was sworn in for the second five-year term on Thursday amid tight security. He vowed to fight corruption and bring good governance.
"The government of Afghanistan is committed to ending the culture of impunity and to bring to justice those involved in spreading corruption and abuse public property," Karzai said in his speech after taking the oath.
Afghanistan's Chief Justice Abdul Salam Azimi administered the swearing-in ceremony at the fortified Presidential Palace attended by hundreds of Afghan and foreign guests including Pakistani President Asif Ali Zaradari, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and foreign ministers from Russia, Turkey, France, Turkmenistan and some other nations.
The 52-year-old Karzai, announced as the winner of fraud-marred election on November 2, just a day after his nearest rival Abdullah Abdullah quitted the runoff, also called on his political rivals to assist him in building a united and strong Afghanistan.
Karzai also asked all government functionaries including ministers, deputy ministers and provincial governors to register their movable and immovable properties before assuming office.
The alleged rampant corruption in government bodies and administration's failure to curb increasing militancy and poppy cultivation has tarnished Afghanistan's image and prompted donor nations particularly U.S. and Britain to openly criticize Karzai's administration.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, according to media reports on Wednesday said before attending the ceremony, "There is now a clear window of opportunity for President Karzai to make a new compact with the people of Afghanistan -- based on accountability and tangible results -- and to forge a stronger partnership with the international community."
Vowing to fight corruption, Karzai in his speech stressed, "To prevent corruption, we will adopt a law in consultation with the National Assembly and making it obligatory for government officials to declare their properties in a transparent manner."
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