Kabul:
Hamid Karzai was sworn in as the president of Afghanistan for second term on Thursday.
"I swear to uphold the Constitution of the country and protect the people of Afghanistan," Karzai said as he took the oath flanked by vice presidents Mohammed Fahim and Abdul Karim Khalili.
Clad in a traditional hat and colourful cape, the president vowed to defend Afghanistan's territorial integrity and independence.
Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari and Turkey's foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu were also present during the swearing-in ceremony, ahead of which new checkpoints were erected in various parts of the city to inspect vehicles.
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.
World leaders have descended in Kabul. Foreign Minister SM Krishna is representing India.
"I think Afghanistan must muster enough courage and conviction to fight these terrorist elements," Krishna told reporters on his arrival in Kabul.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is already in Kabul with words of caution for Karzai.