In his last speech to parliament on Saturday, Afghan President Hamid Karzai accused Pakistan of harbouring the Taliban leadership and attacking leaders who want to join the peace process.
“We know that the Taliban leadership are being given safe havens in Pakistan. While those Taliban leaders who are willing to join talks are either being killed or detained,” President Karzai said in his speech aired live by the state media.
“Pakistan has realised that Afghanistan can’t be its puppet. We are not puppets of the United States, Britain or Russia. How can we be one of Pakistan’s?” he went on to question. The Afghan president expressed hope for ‘sincere cooperation’ in fighting terrorism in the region.
Toning his words down, Karzai said that Kabul looked forward to establishing good relations with all countries, including Pakistan.
“Our region has been threatened by terrorism more than ever. The people of Pakistan have also been suffering from terrorism which is created by some elements in that country,” he said, adding, that Pakistan and Afghanistan could achieve peace and security only if both of them respect each other’s sovereignty.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 16th, 2014.
COMMENTS (28)
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Dear Indian trolls. This is none of your business. Please get a life and concentrate on your country.
@marhaba: The Afghans have been puppets of India for over 50 years so who is he fooling! Blindly taking orders from their Indian masters and meddling in Pakistan's border issues is partly what caused Afghanistan's problems. They should own up to their own problems and realise that they should take care of their own people instead of blindly taking orders from India. Easy to blame others when the truth is staring back at Karzai in the mirror.
@Murtaza: Spot on!
@Murtaza: Spot on! India plus Iran.
Gentlemen, Afghanis are NOT puppets of USA, Russia, China or Pakistan but they are puppets of their beloved India in ther fight against Pakistan!
@dravidian r you a troll?
He's has enjoyed presidency twice, now he is trying to confuse every body.
This crazy President of his own palace has lost his mind. Whenever he opens his mouth, nonsense comes out. Just a few months back their intelligence agency was caught accompanying a TTP leader and they later admitted of sponsoring TTP, their regular soldiers are sent over to Pakistan to carry out attacks, they are harbouring Mullah Fazlullah and aiding him along with india to destabalise Pakistan. Afghanis may not be a puppet of America, Russia, China, Pakistan but they are certainly puppets of India!
With friends like Pakistan.....
This is no news...when he is not accusing Pakistan for his own shortcoming is news. Just like when a dog bites a man it is no news and when a man bites a dog is news.
He is so right, look now pakistanis suffer more than Afghans - there are more bomb blasts and suicide attacks in only one city of Pakistan comparing to whole Afghanistan.
No mention of Afghanistan firing shells into Pakistan right now
@muriba: The Naked truth is that Mr.Karazai's government is confined to Kabul. So yes he is correct in his assessment about Taliban stronghold provinces of Kunar,Nurustan to be not a territorial part of Afghanistan since he has no writ over there. But understanding this takes a more saner mind that one of Indian descent.
I wonder in which country Mr Karzai will retire?
Look a puppet saying something puppetry!!!
@the Skunk: @muriba: Karzai is loosing. No one is supporting his brother for elctions next month. He wanted to exploit USA by delaying the signing of agreement to gurantee Afghan security. Now all other candidates support it. Recently in presidential debate they all agreed to claim Afghan's right till Peshawar, as Durand line is still not accepted as boarder, on the basis of referendum. This is to please the pathans so they vote for these northern alliance (Afghan, Uzbeks, Tajiks) candidate who like you Indians much over Pakistanis who have same religion, I donot know for what reasons. When Karzai will take back all these Talibans (Afghan, Uzbeks, Tajiks refugees), there will not be any problem
Lolz.. Look who's talking?
Karzai, failure, period.
The Mayor of Kabul speaks again... :)
This is the known fact. Ask any ISI about what is strategic defth and they will tell the same statement as made by Karzai.
There is no balance to your views, which keep shifting.
When you needed the US, you played a US-puppet. Now, you are under the regional influence of Iran and India and as usual you are incurably anti-Pakistan.
“Pakistan has realised that Afghanistan can’t be its puppet. We are not puppets of the United States, Britain or Russia. How can we be one of Pakistan’s?” This is untruthful allegation. Pakistan has never tried to make Karzai a puppet. On the one hand, Karzai makes false accusations on the other hand he wants friendship with Pakistan.
Karzai should directly talk with Sir Imran Khan and TTP to make a final closure for the Durrand Line and should ignore the puppet regime in Pakistan.Only when Sindh and Baloch and other ethnic Dravidians get Indian Union territory status and Pukthunkhwa, a union territory of Afghanistan, there can be noo lasting peace and the elimination of terrorism.Ideologies are ideologies and ethnicities are ethnicities, one reason why Bangladesh went its way.Baloch and Sindh's future is safe with India after and if India claims lands from Turbat to Sukkur.Karachi can be a union territory of Pakistan, India would not require the City, just the land outside and the ethnic peoples.The non claimed parts can be split between Pakistanis and Afghans.
agree with Karzai for speaking naked truth
Karzai seems confused. Why does he say that the Afghan forces can handle various factions fighting his government without continued US military support and presence? His forces cannot hold on without US support. It is no use shifting the blame to external forces when his own forces are not up to the task, even with US support.
Mr. Karzai! Your statement is welcome with several pinches of salt. Salams