Ahmed Shah Massoud, born 2nd September, 1953 is the 3rd President of the Islamic State of Afghanistan, an ethnic Tajik from the Panjshir Valley, he was a prominent Mujaheddin commander during the Soviet invasion and afterwards became Minister of Defence. After defeating Gulbuddin Hekmatyar's Hezbi-Islami party, he retired from politics, but was called by from retirement by President Karzai, and asked to put down the Hazara Revolt, after he had done this, he was elected president by a huge majority after Karzai stepped down.