Mohammed Daoud Khan

From Freepedia

Sardar Mohammed Daoud Khan[1] (July 18, 1909 – April 28, 1978), son of Sardar Mohammed Aziz Khan and grandson of Sardar Mohammed Yusuf Khan was an Afghan statesman and President of the Republic of Afghanistan from 1973 until his assassination in 1978 as a result of a revolution led by the quasi-Marxist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA).

On July 17, 1973, Khan seized power from his cousin King Zahir and proclaimed Afghanistan a republic.

Khan was known for his progressive policies especially in relation to the rights of women and for initiating two five-year modernization plans (1956–1961 and 1962–1967) when he served as Prime Minister under King Zahir and a seven-year plan in 1976 when he was President. Much of the aid for these plans came from the Soviet Union.

Khan and most members of his family were assassinated on April 28, 1978 a day after the commencement of the Marxist revolution that established the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.

Trivia

His death was not publicly announced after the coup. Instead, the new government declared that President Khan had "resigned for health reasons."

Preceded by: Shah Mahmud	Prime Minister of Afghanistan 1953–1963	Succeeded by: Mohammed Yusuf
Preceded by: -	President of Afghanistan 1973–1978	Succeeded by: Nur Muhammad Taraki