US-backed Karzai sweeps to power in Afghanistan

Hamid Karzai, the American-backed interim leader of Afghanistan, became head of state with a landslide majority last night after delegates at a grand assembly began voting on a transitional government.

Mr Karzai was the overwhelming favourite among the 1,600 delegates at the loya jirga, but there was some anger among delegates at the support he has from the warlords and armed factions.

There was also some concern over backroom deals. More than 1,000 delegates seconded the nomination of Mr Karzai, who has the tacit support of the United Nations, the Americans and the British. The Allies deny active involvement but have been visiting most of the key leaders in the past couple of weeks.

Ismail Qasim Yar, the head of the loya jirga commission, announced that Mr Karzai had won 1,295 votes. Masooda Jalal, a female employee of the World Food Programme, received 171 votes and a third candidate, Mir Mohammed Mahfoz Nadai, received 89.

As voting began, the defence minister, Marshall Mohammed Fahim, tried to put pressure on Dr Jalal's husband, Faizullah, to persuade her to stand down, saying it was unIslamic for a woman to challenge for head of state. Mr Jalal said later: "They offered her a seat if she would stand down, but you can't do deals with democracy."

The vote by secret ballot extended into the evening in the air-conditioned tent erected for the jirga, called to set the country on the road to democracy, with elections in 18 months.

Several delegates expressed concern at Mr Karzai's perceived cosying up to the warlords who have traditionally held sway in Afghanistan. Soraya, a delegate from Kabul, said: "We love Hamid Karzai but we don't like his allies. We wish he would rely on the support of the people."

Mir Mohammed, another delegate from Kabul, said: "I was thinking of voting for Karzai this morning but when I heard his speech I realised he can't solve the problems of Afghanistan. He only mentioned the leaders of the armed factions. They all support him. If you see who has destroyed Kabul, killed tens of thousands of people, how can it be possible for them to be in power again? How can they solve the problems of Afghanistan?"

Mr Karzai stressed unity in his speech accepting the nomination. "After 25 years, all the Afghans are gathering under one tent. The refugees are coming back. It is a proud moment for me."

Mrs Jalal put herself forward as a simple Afghan woman not associated with any armed group, an important factor for many of the women present. They have been vociferous in their attacks on the warlords, accused of dragging their country back into medieval times. In one private meeting, women delegates berated many of the senior commanders who had come to urge national unity, including Marshall Fahim and the former political leader of the Northern Alliance, Burhanuddin Rabbani.

While men played with their prayer beads, one female delegate said: "You destroyed national unity. Why would we ever trust you again?" Some Afghans say that even if they support Mr Karzai, the deal they are getting is Mr Karzai plus the warlords.

The new Afghan head of state will be able to put forward proposals for the key posts and the structure of government. Delegates will probably be allowed only to reject or accept proposals, in effect giving Mr Karzai room to make deals with the armed factions. Asked why he was supporting Mr Karzai making deals with groups with dubious human rights records, Zilmay Khalilzad, President George Bush's special envoy, said politics was difficult in countries recovering from conflict. "It's difficult to work with problematic people and to choose between peace and justice."