Karzai earns just £355 a month

Afghan president Hamid Karzai earns $525 (£355) a month, has less than $20,000 in the bank and owns no land or property, according to a declaration of his assets yesterday by an anti-corruption body.

The assets of Mr Karzai, whose remuneration is five times the national average, were published by the High Office for Oversight and Anti-Corruption as part of a decree aimed at improving transparency. Corruption remains a major complaint of Afghans and those doing business with the country.

The list shows Mr Karzai, who is married to a physician and has a young son, had jewellery and other valuables worth $11,036.

The anti-corruption body is registering the assets of at least 2,000 officials and will start publishing them this week. "This covers assets held by officials, their wives and children below the age of 18," Mohammad Yasin Usmani, the office's chief, said. Any official found to have withheld information risked prosecution, he said.