Zahir Shah, Muhammad

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King of Afghanistan 1933–73. Zahir, educated in Kabul and Paris, served in the government 1932–33 before being crowned king. He was overthrown in 1973 by a republican coup and went into exile. He became a symbol of national unity for the Mujahedin Islamic fundamentalist resistance groups.

In 1991 the Afghan government restored Zahir's citizenship.

The quetzal, the national bird of Guatemala, symbolizes freedom. The blue bands stand for the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The weapons represent the defence of liberty. Effective date: 15 September 1968. >>