Mr Haji Qadir is a legendary figure in Afghanistan; a wealthy warlord, governor of Nangahar province, ruler of Jalalabad. At Saturday's inauguration of the new government, he sat beside Dr Sima Samar, the highest ranking woman in the cabinet, and Gen Mohammed Fahim, the Defence Minister, all of whom occupied seats in the first row next to incoming president, Mr Hamid Karzai.
"Why are you wearing a turban," Gen Fahim challenged Mr Qadir. The bearded warlord replied, "Why are you wearing a pakoul?" referring to the woollen cap favoured by the mujahideen.
At that moment Dr Samar jumped in. "At least the turban is part of our traditional culture. Your pakoul is part of jihad culture. As of today, jihad is over."
An unlikely discussion of fashion perhaps, but one that typifies the many questions of culture, governance and symbolism as Afghanistan moves forward in its first peaceful transfer of power in history.
Mr Karzai was sworn in as president of Afghanistan's new interim government on Saturday, replacing the ousted Taliban regime amid hope he can help heal a nation torn apart by decades of war.
"Our country, as result of the long war, has been distracted. We need hard work from all Afghans. Bearing in mind all these difficulties, our country is in need of support from the United Nations and all friendly countries. We should put our hands together to be brothers and friends. Forget the painful past," he said. Yesterday, he said US forces would be welcome to stay in Afghanistan until all "terrorists" have been eliminated from Afghanistan.
At the swearing-in ceremony he smiled and nodded as the audience erupted in thunderous applause.
The new leader then swore in the other 29 members of his cabinet - including two women - who stood behind him on the dais.
The new government faces the staggering challenge of rebuilding a nation whose citizens are largely unprepared for a long, hungry winter and whose coffers were left empty by the hard-line Taliban.
Security was extremely tight. Armed British Royal Marines in camouflage uniforms - the vanguard of an international force mandated to protect the new government - patrolled outside the whitewashed Interior Ministry where the inauguration was taking place.
The ceremony began with a drum roll as the outgoing president, Mr Burhanuddin Rabbani, arrived and walked on a red carpet past an honour guard of smartly dressed Afghan soldiers.
The UN special envoy, Mr Lakhdar Brahimi, welcomed the dignitaries. "This is a momentous day for Afghanistan, and it is a momentous day for the United Nations and the international community as a whole," he said.
The new government signalled new life for Afghan women, repressed during the five-year Taliban regime. "Our lives have just begun," said Ms Najia Sohail Zara, a schoolteacher who fled her country in 1996.
The new government has six months to try to put the country on track, a formidable task in a nation whose state-run bank has been looted, where government employees have not been paid in five months.
After six months, a council of tribal leaders will convene to plan a two-year administration that will take Afghanistan toward a permanent constitution.
Reuters add:
As wounded from a convoy of guests to the inauguration of Afghanistan's rulers recounted what they said was an attack by US bombers, a tribal elder warned Mr Karzai of an uprising if such incidents recurred.
"The bombing was so intense that only the lucky ones could escape," said Mr Haji Yaqub Khan Tanaiwal (65) a mujahideen commander who was one of only 40 survivors in the convoy of about 20 to 25 vehicles carrying 100 people. Local Afghans also contested US assertions its planes had attacked a convoy of al-Qaeda leaders near Khost in eastern Afghanistan, saying the dead were villagers and tribal elders.