Afghanistan
Mountainous, landlocked country in S central Asia, bounded N by Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, W by Iran, and S and E by Pakistan,
India, and China.
Government
In Nov 1987 a grand national assembly (Loya Jirgah) of indirectly elected
elders from various ethnic groups approved a new permanent constitution,
establishing Islam as the state religion and creating a multiparty,
presidential system of government. Under the terms of this constitution,
the president, who was elected for a seven-year term by the Loya
Jirgah, appointed the prime minister and was empowered to approve
the laws and resolutions of the elected two-chamber national assembly
(Meli Shura). The constitution was suspended following the withdrawal
of Soviet troops Feb 1989 and an emergency military- People's
Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) regime was established.
During Afghanistan's control by Mujaheddin forces April 1992-Sept
1996, an interim administration was set up, and in Jan 1993 a
250- member interim parliament, the Council of Resolution and
Settlement (Shura-e Ahl-e Hal wa Aqd), was appointed pending the
drafting of a permanent constitution.
The Talibaan (Islamic students' army) took control of the government
Sept 1996. An interim six-member council of clerics was installed
and strict Islamic law imposed.
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