NEWS

Indian missions clean: Karzai

By K J M Varma in Islamabad
September 29, 2003 16:35 IST

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has denied that Indian consulates in Jalalabad and Kandahar are carrying out anti-Pakistan activities.

"I have personally assured everyone on the Pakistani side that there will be no anti-Pakistan activity conducted on or from Afghan territory. In fact, the Indian government has been categorically told that the consulates would only conduct commercial activities," Karzai said in an interview to Pakistan daily The News in New York.

He, however, expressed concern over resurgence of the Taliban and regretted that the Pakistani government was not fully addressing his government's concern on the issue.

The Taliban used Pakistani soil to attack Afghan forces, he said. "In the last few months there have been instances of small groups of Afghan 'Talibans' crossing over from the Chaman border.

"In one instance, the Afghan forces attacked a Taliban group. The injured were transported in official Pakistani vehicles to government hospitals. This was evidence of government patronage to these Taliban," he said.

Karzai also expressed concern about some madrassas located in Baluchistan province that asked Afghan students to revolt against his government.

"Some of these madrassas are under the influence of Maulvi Abdul Ghani, brother of the health minister of Balochistan," he alleged.

He also said that Pakistan leaders continued to make statements "that paint us as the enemies of Pakistan".

"Jamat Ulema Islami leaders, a few months ago in a major NWFP congregation, declared that on one side we have the Indians and on the other the Afghan government. JUI Leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman said Karzai was pro-Indian, therefore, Pakistan's enemy," he said.

Nonetheless, Karzai said it was in the interest of Afghanistan and Pakistan to have good relations.

K J M Varma in Islamabad
Source: PTI
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