KABUL, March 19: Speculation over the return of former king Mohammed Zahir Shah of Afghanistan, who has lived in exile for the past 29 years, has finally ended. The interim government has announced March 25 as the date for the historic event.

Several houses are being prepared in Kabul for the former monarch and his entourage of around 20, but a spokesman for the International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF) on Monday said he could go elsewhere in the event of security problems in the capital.

“The king can return to (the southern city of) Kandahar or (the northern city of) Mazar-i-Sharif instead of Kabul,” he said.

At first, the ex-king said he would return to his homeland in time to celebrate the Afghan new year, Nauw Rouz, on March 21. But his trip was then put back due to security reasons.

According to the dean of the political sciences faculty at Kabul University, Professor Gulham Mohammad Dareez, the return of the king will encourage many Afghan refugees to return to their homeland.

Many Afghans associate the ex-king with the last period of peace their country knew before its descent into 23 years of war.—AFP