and compared to the warlords, Kazai is considered one of the civilized ones

February 26, 2003

Gucci's creative designer Tom Ford has been quoted calling Mr Karzai "the most chic man in the world".

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BBC news

Hamid Karzai, leader of Afghanistan's government is under attack - from animal rights campaigners.

They have pointed out that his favoured headwear - the karakul hat - has its origins in the cruel slaughter of sheep.

The Indian animal rights group People for Animals points out that the hat is made from the fleece of a lamb.

And the traditional method of producing the fleece is barbaric.

"The karakul wool is made by beating a pregnant ewe till it aborts," said Maneka Gandhi, Indian Minister for Social Justice, who also heads People for Animals.

'Forced to abort'

"As soon as it aborts, the lamb that comes out has very curly tight hair.

"The lamb's skin remains curly and tight for the first 24 hours of its life. While still alive, the lamb's skin is stripped off and made into a cap.

"The mother which is forced to abort also dies," she said.

A recent investigation by the Humane Society of the United States pointed out what it called the "suffering, inhumane slaughter, and waste of lives behind karakul fashions".

But Mr Karzai may well come under pressure to drop the hat - like others before him.

Former Indian Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh wore one too before Ms Gandhi, who was environment minister in his cabinet between 1989 and 1990, asked him not to.

"I was not aware of how it was made. I thought this to be like other fur caps," he said.

"When I was told how it was made, I switched over to synthetic and since then I have been wearing a synthetic hat."