Former king at his Father's tomb

(19 Apr 2002)

1. Wide of tomb of former king's father
2. Wide shot of car convoy
3. Pan right of convoy carrying Former King, Mohammad Zaher Shah, flanked by security
4. Cars arriving at tomb
5. Cutaway of security guard
6. Various of Zaher Shah and Interim Leader Hamid Karzai walking past camera
7. Wide shot of Zaher Shah approaching tomb
8. Zaher Shah praying at tomb
9. Wide of Zaher Shah touching tomb and kissing boy
10. Wide exterior of tomb with press
11. Zaher Shah getting into car
12. Various of cars leaving - driving past camera

STORYLINE:

Former Afghan King Mohammad Zaher Shah visited his father's tomb outside Kabul on Friday.

Nadir Shah, Zaher Shah's father, was assassinated before his son's eyes 68 years ago. Now accompanied by interim Prime Minister Hamid Karzai, Zaher Shah was able to re-visit his father's resting place and pay his respects.

Nadir Shah's once-glorious columned crypt has been devastated by rockets and gunfire and as Zaher Shah entered the building he gazed at the holes punched in the dome above.

Friday was the first time Zaher Shah ventured out of his house in Kabul after returning a day earlier. Exiled in Italy for 29 years he was accompanied on his return trip by Afghan Interim Leader Hamid Karzai - who was also with him for Friday's visit.

Zaher Shah will convene a grand council, or loya jirga, in June that will select a new government, but his role in Afghanistan is now largely symbolic - there are no plans to restore the monarchy.

Many Afghanis credit Zaher Shah with keeping Afghanistan at peace during his 40-year rule, and hope now that he has returned he will be a unifying force in the otherwise divided country.

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