Mr Hamid Karzai, the leader of the interim administration, was elected Afghanistan's new head of state in a landslide victory yesterday at the Loya Jirga traditional assembly.
The assembly was called to fill the power vacuum left after the fall of the Taliban.
Loya Jirga chairman Mr Mohammad Ismail Qasimyar said Mr Karzai won 1,295 votes from a total of 1,575 ballots cast.
"Therefore the winner of these elections is Mr Hamid Karzai, elected head of the transitional period," he said to loud applause and chants of Allah-u- Akbar (God is great).
"It's a matter of honour for me and my colleagues that you have put this trust in me to head the country during this transitional period. It's a big trust which has made me proud," Mr Karzai said in a brief speech.
"I'm a humble servant of God the almighty and I would like to serve my people, the country's independence and peace and quiet in the country."
Mr Karzai will now be charged with running a transitional government that will govern Afghanistan until democratic elections are held in 2004. Some 500 delegates were present at the venue, a large marquee set up at Kabul Polytechnic for the result. All were clearly thrilled to witness the first time a leader has been chosen in a peaceful, democratic manner.
But in New York, Human Rights Watch said Afghan warlords were hindering the Loya Jirga in its efforts to set up a representative government.
Delegates were subjected to intimidation and surveillance by Afghan intelligence services, the rights group said in a statement which was also critical of the US role. "After subverting the voting process in many regions of Afghanistan, the warlords are now trying to hijack the Loya Jirga itself. If the warlords succeed in their nefarious quests, the security of the Afghan people will be put squarely in the hands of those most likely to threaten it," the group said. - (AFP)