ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan would support Pakistan if a military conflict broke out between Pakistan and the United States, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said in an interview to a Pakistani TV channel broadcast on Saturday.
The remarks were in sharp contrast to recent tension between the two neighbours, who have traded diplomatic jibes over cross-border raids and accusations that Pakistan was involved in the murder of former Afghan president Burhanuddin Rabbani on September 20.
“God forbid, if ever there is a war between Pakistan and America, Afghanistan will side with Pakistan,” Karzai said in an interview with Geo television. “If Pakistan is attacked and if the people of Pakistan need Afghanistan’s help, Afghanistan will be there with you.” The TV channel did not say when the interview was conducted.
Such a situation is extremely unlikely, however. Despite months of tough talk between Washington and Islamabad, the two allies appear to be working to ease tension. In a two-day visit to Islamabad, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued stern warnings and asked for more cooperation in winding down the war in Afghanistan, but ruled out “boots on the ground” in North Waziristan, where Washington has been pushing Pakistan to tackle the Haqqani network.
Karzai said tensions between the United States and Pakistan did not have any impact in his country’s attitude towards Pakistan. However, he reiterated Afghan concerns over Pakistan’s intentions in their country and suspicions over its promise to help bring about peace.
Urging a more honest and far-sighted approach from Afghanistan’s neighbour, Karzai asked Pakistan to end underhand methods, such as indirect support for terrorist groups. “Please brother, stop using all methods that hurt us and that are now hurting you,” he said. “Let’s engage from a different platform, a platform in which the two brothers only progress towards a better future in peace and harmony.”
Following the death of Rabbani, Karzai said he would cease attempts to reach out to the Afghan Taliban and instead negotiate directly with Pakistan, saying its military and intelligence services could influence the militants to make peace.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 23rd, 2011.
COMMENTS (69)
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That would be like 'blind helping the lame'. Helps neither.
On the other hand it will offer US an opportunity to "kill two birds with one stone."
How would Karzai help: would be sending anti-pakistan taliban would be providing trail to Indian would facilitate anti-pakistani organizations. We cannot forget Karzai's hostile statement against Pakistan during the last 10years. In fact, this man has been insitigating American Agaginst our country. Pakistani governement will be in a fool's paradise if she believes in him. God bless Pakistan
It looks like Karzai is suffering from schizophrenia and other forms of psychotic disorders.
Assalam-o-Allaikum Warahmatullah.Now US and Indian leaders must see and realize that their all kind of financial aid couldn't gain the good will of Afghan leaders and their all hidden purposes and efforts of to create enmity and misunderstanding between Afghanistan and Pakistan are all in vain,useless and fruitless and great defeat to create differences.Now US' leaders must have to cerebrate about their troops' presence in Afghanistan because US' leaders and US' troops have badly defeated in Afghanistan and Karzai's this statement is equal to rubbing the salt on US' troops injuries.At least now US' troops must be withdrawn from Afghanistan and Indian leaders must never take this Karzai's statement lightly despite Indian leaders signed few agreements with Afghan leaders for the betterment of Afghan people.
does pakistan trust anyone of its neighbours,or anyone at all?
Karzai simply means 'Blood is thicker than water'
A good joke from a joker.
The man does not rule even the house he is saying in and how can he speak on behalf of all Afghanistan.
Why tribune didnt mentioned India. he said India name as well. These tribune way pro India.
Regarding Karzai rhetoric, we dont need your help
@narayana murthy: You seem to be a very good advocate of Karzai, here loyalty works! . Don't pose yourself as Afghan president's spokesman. Pakistan knows him well.
You Pakistanis have lost your mind. He only meant diplomatically and morally NOT strategically!
I see nothing but a whole lot of ungrateful people living under their own repressive regimes and blaming everyone else for your own miseries. At a time when you should be trying to amend your ties with your neighbors, you show nothing but animosity towards a gesture of goodwill, whether it be genuine or not. Now is not a good time to show that you possess a holster with a gun, you never know who will show up at your doorstep.
This type of behavior just adds to the ever growing bad image of Pakistan and Islam (religion of peace for those who forgot) in general.
karzai really wants USA to attack Pak . But India will surely support both Afghanistan and Pak. What does that USA think about south Asia. yesterday they attacked Af ,now they will attack Pak .Is it their father's land ???
His seat of authority is limited to his presidential palace , even calling him Mayor of Kabul is exaggeration. When he couldnt protect his own brother and Mr. Rabbani then what else could he do. Enjoyy your weekend and ignore what he says !!
How can the mayor of Kabul help PAK when his army is headed by NATO commanders. This guy has either completely gone insane or thinks that the PAK establishment believes the Earth is flat.
This is the interview if anyone wants to see it : /watch?v=siCJUVIId4&feature=mfuin_order&list=UL
During it, he accuses Pakistan of being the spokesperson for the Taliban too :/ . In all honesty, I don't know what side he bats for anymore. I think he's just trying to placate Pakistanis after the strategic deal with India.
The fact of the matter is that Karzai hates Pakistan and considers it as most unreliable. He knows too well that his recent agreement with India and other statements would be taken as an act of betrayel by Pakistan. Therefore, fearing backlash from Pakistan's intelligence agencies and Haqqanis, he is issuing a flurry of statements like twin brother, an ally against any attack by US, India, aliens etc to keep its unhappy neighbour in good humour.
afghan ar fedup indian paki politics one say we spent money and other say we ar help you jihad but we afhgan in the current time need unity against both crazy .rember who suport fighting after najeeb this two r three country.we should thanks amrica to make our baic army and police and now we hope one day afgan capable himslf to defant the afgan child and elders.
@Realist, why blame Karzai for turning 180 degrees on his view...He learnt it from the favorite son of Pakistan Musharraf, who turned 180 degrees overnight after just a phone call from US...Karzai took at least few weeks....
The mayor of Kabul promises that all 14 kites of Afghan Air Farce will stand besides Pakistan.
Thank You Sir. We already have our own more than enough unofficial powerful ASSETS. We don't need foreign snakes, we have double faced snakes - (Do Mukhi Saanp). Last but not least: No one will attack us unless we do it first ....... go through history ...... not of text books.
BAD JOKE!!!!!!!!!!!
@JJ: Absolutely correct! One Nation of Pakistan. No Punjabi, no Sindhi, no Pathan, no Balochi, no Mohajir. One Nation, PAKISTAN. Salams
Karzai is really stuck between the Devil and the Deep Sea, On one hand his country is under occupation and run by NATO and on the other hand a nuclear power nation as a neighbour. If Pakistan is attacked from Afghanistan soil, Karzai is well aware that the consequences would be disasterous for them. He walks a tight rope and does not have choices, As the saying goes If you cant beat them, Join them. Pakistan did in 2001
COME' ON PAKISTANIS!!!
He never said, he would fight along with Pakistan. He only said that his country would help, by probably taking refugees or providing with shelter or whatever.
He's only saying that Afghanistan would return the favor that Pakistan did to it in 2001.
After reading this a friend asked a good question: in a war between Pakistan and India, whose side will Karzai be on?
Great Karzai matches Pakistan in duplicity.....its a strong competition.
Actually Karzai will be the most happiest person if U.S. and Pakistan go to war.
@TruthNfacts. Good to find a lonely and only vioce of reason and optimism on this page filled with pessimist and people with intense apetite for bad and sad news. President Karzai holds immense respect for pakistan and its citizens, but it is his duty to speak out against the violence inflicted to his people emanating from pakistan. Other than that he loves pakistan more than any pakistan leader's love for afghanistan
Last time I checked US was occupying Afghanistan. Why not clean your country first.
@Hairaan: yes they have but only because taliban are a bunch of cowards who hide behind other people when attacked,they live and hide amongst general public and then thump their own chest for being "brave".u might not like america but u cant deny that they threw out taliban from kabul in three days and took over the whole country in 5.talibs were running away like women.
This is funny.
Next you will have maldives pledging support to Pakistan and Libya too. All the Islamist regimes will get together under one banner. They have to , they have no choice.
India will fight with US forces and safe guard unity & integrity of Pakistan. This may be next foreign office statement from India. What you say?
What Karzai is talking about. Pakistan a nuclear country, Latest weaponary ,it's young man top fighters in the world . It's Airforce best . Navey with latest technology can easily take care of U.S. , India and any country in the world. Allaha is in Pakistan side then no matter even the whole world can't touch Pakistan. It's name itself "Pakistan-----Land of purity ,honesty,beauty , and peace, tells us how great Is Pakistan. We should not worry for Pakistan . Look how Allah has blessed Pakistan and I can see a great future. It will take over U.S.A. China or any country in the world.
It might sound soothing to our ears but we must not rely on people like Hamid Karzai. And please, i request my fellow Pakistanis to stop showing excitement towards any war woth India or Afghanistan or any other country. Ask those who lost their loved ones in any war irrespective of whatever faith,creed,race or nationality they belong to, and then speak.
Anyways, these statements by Karzai have got something to do with Pakistan winning non-permament UNSC sea,t else they were making so much hue and cry about Burhanuddin Rabbani's assassination and would talk about sending their officials to Pakistan for further investigations, but would go mute few week later. And now,such promises by Karzai.
I just wonder how Indian media will react towards the news of UNSC seat and current statements of Karzai. It's definitely a shock for them since they were harping with statements like Pakistan is now exposed,globally isolated, and near it's death and destruction. I wonder if they continue with a news that now Pakistan is investing heavily into Mutant Technology and Dr. X or someone like him was present on behalf of Pakistan on Friday....Via telepathy,they controlled minds of all those members and made them vote for a terrorist nation such as Pakistan, and now Pakistani terrorists used powers of Dr. X to make Karzai say such things. Another story could be that Mystique and/or her children are now working for ISI,and they turned their appearance into representatives of over 130 nations....and that's how Pakistan got elected.
@Rahil: @Cautious: You are absolutely right.what a real and great comment!
@TruthNFacts: And why should Pakistan send a thank you note to Karzai in haste, isn't it better to wait for his another statement.No body knows except you that he had a "soft" corner for Pakistan.Yes you are a very good advocate of Karzai, so continue your practice,but don't try to create a false positive image of that man who has just changed his policy.If your memory works and if you are a real Pakistani you must not forget that it was Afghanistan who opposed Pakistan to have a membership, in the UN it is Afghanistan with whose collaborations conspiracies by a neighbor country to disable Pakistan are planned . No doubt Afghanistan is a Muslim country and naturally we have sympathy for her but if you dont mind a very "ehsaan framosh "country too who despite Pakistan's help towards the Afghan refugees, always tried to attack and blame Pakistan.It is Afghanistan who a few days ago had been protesting against Pakistan and Pakistanis.And by the way who is attacking Pakistan at the western borders and what our security forces are doing there?.Do you want to know some more qualities of Afghanistan You say Pakistan's stability is linked with Afghanistan ,please dont repeat that dialogue that we have listened several times by the politicians.by the way what kind of prosperity is blooming in Afghanistan.Remember that is a dependent country and always will be if they will not change their way of life and hypocrisy.And lastly one thing is very wise that you said we should respect our neighbors,yes i agree with you but respect is traded with respect no one will bequeath it to you in free.I think you live in a delusional world.
The Mayor of Kabul has spoken! Now we can all sleep easy. The Americans will never attack us knowing that Hamid Karzai, their best lap dog, will fight side by side with our forces on the front lines.
@TruthNFacts: Its America which never satisfies with anyone. Pakistan has been helping Afghanistan for the last 35 years. Still we have over 1.5 Million Afghan Refuges. These Afghnies who live in Pakistan is living far more better life than who are in Afghanistan.
America has failed as it own less knowledge regarding Afghan culture. No Technology or Weapon can win in Afghanistan as it has been proved so many 100s of Afghan history.
I dont understand why the pressure is mounting on Pakistan by the US when Pak is a Nuclear power. What do we have all these Pak Military and Pak AirForce and Navy for when you just sit and have to do what others say? 85% of our budget goes towards the Defence every year since decades and still we are the ones that get killed.
@Xyz: Surprisingly your USs' F22 have miserably failed to root out the poor Taliban fighters.
Afghanistan might be weak, but this gesture is very much appreciable and the deep state here needs to understand and give peace a chance. we can't change our neighbors..
No thankyou, we dont need your help.
Remember, Karzai is not a man of his words. He can say anything and later refuse to comply.
Clearly on its last rope America may be thinking of using some nukes in some areas of Afghanistan.,may be accidently close to Pakistan border .Because as a last resort their concerns about the young tragic death tolls of their troops, it seems their patience is wearing thin. Who can say what America does have in it's mind,who guessed what America was going to do when it dropped bomb on HIROSHIMA and NAGASAKI, it was the same America and the same Asia.may be some one has told them about the phrase"NA RAHEY BANS NA BAJEY GI BANSURI",but some of my close friends in America who are also very close friends of some influential Americans assured me that America was not going to make this mistake again.I also waved it aside as the world is not at war.God forbid if something horrible like that happens, Pakistan will be in shock beyond measure,as Afghanistan is the only"ISLAMIC BROTHER " very "close" to us.But we should have faith in Allah.
Mr Karzai didnt know that if in case (God forbid ) americans take unilateral strike against pakistan, they gonna use their country as the military base, and with / without afghan govt support.Sir! you are already custody of USA..But i dont think so that is going to happen.. :)
President Karzai's remarks implicitly exposes the desire and convocation that the Pak-US conflict should take place (may be a limited OR low intensity war) and, that Afghanistan will then have the chance to prove to Pakistan that it stands with Pakistan, rather than giving India its territory to build Indian strategic assets against Pakistan. On the surface, all this is hypothetical, but, still a food for thought to consider the hard times ahead.
I think Karzai has finally read the writing on the wall. He knows one fine morning he will wake up to see his american masters gone. And then he will be left with nothing but the mercy of Pakistan. His cousin Indians will/can never fly over pakistan to save him. Actually He must have had a nightmare, wherein he was hanged and fired upon by Taliban like they did to some of his friends 15 years ago. And here He has spoken up.
Mr.Karzai, whom you BACK if INDIA attack????????
Aww the ink on the strategic agreement between India and Afghanistan has barely dried and this guy has already switched sides. Yea Indians you guys have invested in the right man, just like the Americans did. Although Pakistan wont be falling for his charade. Once again Indians your time to tear your hair and begin crying starts now!
Some comic relief after month-long tension!
This is all smoke and mirrors.
This guy turns 180 degrees in his views & statements :D
You know "ROFL" means 'rolling on floor laughing' and is used on such occasions :Pp
I wonder if we Pakistanis are ever satisfied with anyone. If Karzai has issued an opposite statement on this issue, we would have been protesting. By looking at the pessimist comments above so far, it seems obvious that we are the most unhappy nation in the world. We failed to generate a single positive and thankful note in response to it. Karzai has a soft corner for Pakistan and he dare to express it. It is a very good sign indeed. We should not forget that stability in Pakistan is largely linked with the peace and stability of Afghanistan. We should learn to respect our neighbors. Just by the way, by far, the US with its superior war technology has miserably failed to crush resistance movement in Afghanistan. It's a big shame and failure for the lone super power in this unipolar world.
A few days ago you have been scolding Pakistan,now you are assuring us about your help.Your people are attacking us . What turned you around?Is there any limit of hypocrisy.Will you please show your real face? .
yes please lend us your support. Im sure with your obsolete russian aircraft and our aging f-16's, the USA's f22 raptors will stand no chance!
He knows that's not happening. Kehne mein kya jata hai?
i laughed so hard while reading this :D
Pakistan should not rely on what Afghanistan President Mr. Hamid Karzai is saying.
We should have our own strategy and should not share our strategy with Afghanistan government, except to maintain the bilateral relations.
This guy has finally lost it.