Hamid Karzai was today sworn-in as Afghan President for the second term with a vow to rid the country of terrorism and strengthen its armed forces to take over security from the international troops within five years.

Karzai was administered the oath of office by the head of Supreme Court Abdul Salam Azmi at a grand ceremony at the Presidential Palace in the presence of 800 guests, including External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari.

In his first public address on taking over after an election marred by allegations of fraud, Karzai pledged to get rid of the corruption and reached out to his political rivals offering to form a government of national unity.

The 51-year-old Afghan leader appreciated India's aid of USD 1.3 billion for his country's reconstruction and said he would make efforts to expand and strengthen ties with neighbours based on "mutual respect and genuine friendship".

"We enjoy the strategic relations with the Republic of India," he said.

Talking about the security situation in the country, he said, "we are determined that by next five years the Afghan forces are capable of taking the lead in ensuring security and stability across the country with foreign troops only responsible for support and training."

With the country facing intense resurgence by Taliban, Karzai said, "we will utilise all national and international resources to put an end to war and fratricide."
Karzai announced that he will call a "Loya Jirga" -- a meeting of tribal heads -- to bring peace.

Reaching out to his Presidential election rival and former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, he said, "I would like to invite all the presidential candidates including my brother Abdullah Abdullah to come together to achieve the important task of national unity."

He also renewed a call to Taliban elements, not linked to international terrorism, to return to their homeland, an offer which was immediately rejected by Taliban.

The Afghan leader said he believed that the problem of international terrorism in his country could be overcome. "We will implement social, judicial and administrative reforms in the country and crackdown on corruption."

"Those who indulge and spread corruption should be tried and prosecuted, and henceforth corruption in Afghanistan will be enemy of state," he said.

The President said a conference will be held soon in the capital to address ways to tackle corruption as also to chalk out tough measures against drug traffickers.

Karzai was declared re-elected to the Presidency on November 2 by the country's independent Election Commission after Abdullah Abdullah withdrew from the November 7 run-off, which was ordered following a UN-backed commission's findings that nearly a third of the votes cast on August 20 were fraudulent.

Fearing Taliban strikes during the ceremony, Afghan and NATO forces put the capital city of Kabul under heavy security net, closing the international airport and advising citizens and foreigners to stay indoors.

Clad in a traditional hat and colourful cape, Karzai took the oath flanked by Vice Presidents Mohammed Fahim and Abdul Karim Khalili.

Born on December 24, 1957 in the village of Karz in Kandahar, Karzai was first sworn in as the President of Afghanistan for a five-year term on December seven, 2004.

Karzai was a student of International Relations and Political Science at the Shimla University, from where he earned his Master's degree. In 1982, he joined the struggle against the Soviets and became director of operations of the Afghan National Liberation Front (ANLF).

When the Taliban emerged on Afghanistan's political scene in the early 1990s, Karzai initially supported them. However, by late 1994 he had become suspicious of the movement, fearing it had been infiltrated and was controlled by foreigners, including Pakistanis and Arabs.

Karzai resigned during the civil war between the 'Mujahideen' factions and began working for a national Loya Jirga (Grand Council) which, he believed, could resolve the differences among the competing parties peacefully.

On December 5, 2001 he was elected Chairman of the Interim Administration of Afghanistan by participants at the UN-sponsored Bonn Conference and assumed charge on December 22, 2001. On June 13, 2002, the Emergency Loya Jirga elected him President of the Transitional Government.