Hashmat Khalil Karzai was born in
Afghanistan. He was a cousin of Afghan President
Hamid Karzai. Karzai ran security and construction companies in Afghanistan. He was a powerbroker in the
Kandahar Province and was seen as a tribal leader of the
Popalzai, a
Pashtun tribe. He was a supporter of presidential candidate
Ashraf Ghani. Some sources go as far as to call him his "campaign manager." Additionally, he held an American passport.
Personal life Karzai had a pet lion and smoked cigars. He was called by many in Kandahar as the "Lion of Kandahar".
Death Hashmat Karzai was killed by a suicide bomber at his private residence in
Karz near
Kandahar on July 29, 2014. ==References==