KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai called on the Taliban on Saturday to fight Afghanistan's enemies in what was widely seen as a swipe against Pakistan days after the neighbours' security forces clashed on their border.
Karzai's remarks are likely to unsettle already shaky ties with Pakistan and come as the United States wants Pakistan to help Afghanistan persuade the Taliban to engage in peace talks ahead of the withdrawal of most foreign troops by the end of next year.
"Instead of destroying their own country, they should turn their weapons against places where plots are made against Afghan prosperity," Karzai told reporters in the capital, Kabul, saying this was "a reminder for the Taliban".
"They should stand with this young man who was martyred and defend their soil," he said, referring to an Afghan border policeman who was killed in the Wednesday night clash on eastern Afghanistan's border with Pakistan. Two Pakistani soldiers were wounded.
Hundreds of men took to the streets of the eastern Afghan town of Asadabad on Saturday, near where the clash took place, to protest against both Pakistan and the United States.
A day earlier, thousands of men in Kabul rallied in support of the Afghan security forces.
Afghanistan and Pakistan have had testy relations since Pakistan was formed in 1947, at the end of British colonial rule over India. Afghanistan has never officially accepted the border between them.
Pakistan helped the Taliban take power in Afghanistan in the 1990s. Many Afghan leaders say Pakistan is still helping the militants, seeing them as a tool to counter the influence of its old rival, India, in Afghanistan.
Pakistan denies helping the militants and says it wants peace and stability in its western neighbour.
COMMENTS (49)
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@Salil Chowdary, Dhaka:
i can feel your pain bangali bhai.. but keep your hatred to yourself
@Imran: Just Give Try, let us see how Afghans helps ....
Afghanistan has been a huge problem for Pakistan,the whole internal security of Pakistan has become worse especially since the Million Afghans took refuge in Pakistan.
India is lucky not to have a border with Afghanistan ,otherwise all the problems would have spilled into India like it is happening in Pakistan
The only solution to the problem, let the big borther INDIA, take all the refugees of Afghanistan, and live happily together. Please leave Pakistan alone, we dont need both countries.
@INDIAN SHIA: we can send all the afghan refuges to India. if you guys have so much love in keeping them. we suffered and are still suffering for nothing. we were not the one who attacked Afghanistan.
@Kumar R: lets switch borders and PLEASE take in 3.5m refugees.then u can call them ur brothers. actions speak louder than words
@Imran:
"3rd panipat battle between afghan king Durani vs Marathas ??? Learn from history we Pakistanis & afghani fights like brothers with each other but when it comes to India certainly we become one and fight with India just like an enemy…."
India is not a Maratha fiefdom nor is Pakistan plus Afghanistan a Durrani Empire. The present States are all very recent entities formed after retreat of British Colonialism from South Asia. Better get your grip on the World of 21st century.
Gul Agha Achakzai! Afghanistan defeated Soviet Union by giving sacrifice of 2 million martyrs, so it will be good to not give this credit to Pakistan. No third world war will start. Afghans have law on their side, they are justified in their claim. Why we should live under an alien identity of Pakistan. History of Pashtuns is much older than Pakistan.
@BARAKZAI... Pakistan is not provoking anybody.One thing you Afghans forget is that starting from Zahir Shah every Afghan ruler played this game over durand line. They even had mighty soviet union and her Indian ally's backing them. But durand line is still here while they are in dustin of history. Karzai can also learn some lessons and cool down his horses. It is reality that you Afghans can either accept or keep trying to provoke a conflict which you possibly cant win. If Karzai thinks he can involve Indians and Americans in fight then this conflict would be the start of third world war.
@Imran:
> when it comes to India certainly we become one and fight with India just like an enemy…. That is this mentality the Muslims are facing problems in Srilanka, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand etc.etc. Moreover, in all the wars with India, being a NATO & CENTO member, no country including Afghanistan and China were ready to help Pakistan. Every nation got their own interests and they will not sacrifice them for the sake of a failed nation called PAKISTAN.
War is a curse. it kills people and bring miseries. However, what option is left when one 's home and land are forcefully occupied. Durand Line was imposed on by the British colonial empire. Pakistan prides itself of independence from Britain, but wants to keep the legacy of their former masters. No Pashtun would ever recognize this unlawful border as it divides families and tribes. Pakistan must give up its policy of strategic dept and adopt mature politics. The region need peace. Much bloodshed has taken place. The future lies in cooperation among the countries of the region. Restrictions on trade and movement of people across the national borders shall be eliminated.
Hahaa I find it funny when I read comments of Indians ... Have they forgotten history....? 3rd panipat battle between afghan king Durani vs Marathas ??? Learn from history we Pakistanis & afghani fights like brothers with each other but when it comes to India certainly we become one and fight with India just like an enemy....
@Kumar R: Go ahead and open your borders for them. Grant them visa and keep the Afghani's in your country. You've no idea how much Pakistan did for Afghanistan yet they are never grateful, while Indians like you, who take advantage of such situation to show the hostility between the two countries, make matter worse. Host 2 million Afghans in your country and then we'll know how much you support them.
@ No Nationalism.... You explained rightly. You are also right about Daud's policies that started to interfere in Pakistan and supported Baloch and Pashtun liberation movements in Kabul, not only shelter those leaders but also gave name to main square in Kabul. Seems Pakistan is using same policy to reverse all those things Afghanistan did to Pakistan in its early 30 years....For India its best situation, because India never remained happy with historic Afghan border and they historic nature, one of India senior official wrote recently, "Never Trust Afghan Pashtun, while Trust others"....
Let me go little earlier, when there was no Pakistan, particularly when Durand Agreement signed in1893. Afghan King Rahman, gathered Afghan Girga/ Notables and delivered his speech, he categorically mentioned and it is available in written form that Waziris and people of current FATA of Pakistan never been loyal to Afghan rulers, so we got rid of them, while all Afghan notables appreciated his decision. It strange that Kabul use Durand as politics to get support and cover its own mistakes.
Some words from Afghan King's own book after signing treaty:
“I had made a kingdom of Afghanistan, which before had been divided into so many independent States ruled over by separate chiefs; and how I had extended my dominions, which, at the time of my accession, were no more than the city of Kabul and Jellalabad, together with a few other places ... At the time when I was occupied in breaking down the feudal system of Afghanistan and moulding the country into a strong consolidated Kingdom, I was not unaware nor neglectful of the necessity of defining my boundaries with the neighbouring countries. I well knew that it was necessary to mark out the boundary lines between my dominions and those of my neighbours, for the safety and protection of my Kingdom, and for purpose of putting a check on their advances and getting rid of misunderstandings and disputes”
A minor correction, it was not Hekmatyar but the Pro Soviet Afghan regime following Daud's assassination in 1978 that requested Soviet invasion.
Nonetheless Afghanistan is getting what it has sown. Had it fostered friendly relations with Pakistan post 48, the strategic depth (a word Afghanistan loves to throw around) would never have been a reality.
Afghanistan is in ruins today because it followed a belligerent line regarding the Durrand issue, pushing it into the jaws of the USSR and paving the way for Pakistani manipulation. Pakistan, when the opportunity presented itself, installed a friendly regime. All states act in their own self interest. It is in Afghanistan's interest to bury the Durrand line, and focus on recovery. No Pakistani Pashtun has any interest in becoming Afghan.
Please read my account of Afghan Pak relations if you want a background of the issue mentioned in this story.
@Asif Butt: We hope you people become friend and live in peace so that we Afghans also take sigh of peace because we pay price for your rivalry. You can not fight Indian's directly instead want to drag Afghans for your enmity.I wish Pakistan give up policy of STRATEGIC DEPTH and live as a mature neighbor and stop extremists to our soil. As an ordinary afghan i most wellcome your comments about peace with india but will your general's realize this.
@Sinn Sal: EVERYONE have their hands dirty with blood , historically speaking.
We Pakistanis dont care about this Karzai drama script or anything to do with Afghanistan.
But we care about our relation with India. India is a much mature state which at-least tries to understand and acknowledge our internal problems , in contrast to the brainless and powerless puppets in Afghanistan.
What Mr Karzai or ANY AFGHAN can never imagine , is how dramatically the tables can turn once Pakistan is on the right track of national and global politics , and after that going thorough the PEACE TRANSITION with India.
It is a never ending mountain , we all know that , but we are more concerned to be at peace and happy with our Indian counterparts with whom we have a "COMMON HEART & MINDSET".
Afghanistan biggest problem is its ethnicity . Like Pakistan it will need many decades to unite as a nation. Whereas we have already paid huge prices. And we have already learnt a lot.
People dont realize , but the whole terror threat of the region may shift from Pakistan on towards Afghanistan , all due to such political Jokers like Hamid Karzai.
I am reading William Dalrymple's 'Return of a King'. Set in 1830s, but reads as though it is set in 2000s!! Highly recommended for everyone who has any interest in Afghanistan.
geopolitics in south Asia. who cares. i mean really, there is no real demand for this story, either locally or internationally.
Isn't it the same guy who pledged to fight alongside Pakistan in case of an imaginary Indian attack? Karzai ji, statesmanship is not your forte, apparently :)
@san: eastern borders were created in 1947, hermetically sealed by monsters of Zia. Jundulla of Sunni republic locked the doos with Iran and now you closing remain Fresh Air in let with Afghanistan. Please do that, it will help produce more "WELL FROGS"
@Barakzai: You can start by leaving oue country.
all those Indians preteding to be friends of Afghanistan should feel lucky that there is Pakistan between them and these afghanis. if there was no Pakistan then Karzai would be accusing India of occupying Afghan soil after all the treaty of durand line was signed between a united India and Afghanistan.
@Kumar R: we will always be on the side of the chinese and against india
@Usman: Does 'deeper than oceans and higher than Himalayas friendship' ring any tones?
Besides in this case, there has been a clear provocation from Pakistan side - An Afghan Policemen was killed and structures were unilaterally built by Pakistan side at the durand line, the line which is viewed as a colonial hangover by Afghanistan (even Taliban is on the same page on this issue). Given the gravity of situation, Karzai's response is a very mild rebuke (he didn't even name Pakistan explicitly).
Wouldn't that make an interesting, awe-inspiring twist.
Pakistan supported these Taliban for so many years, sheltered them, even allowed their ideology to flourish. Now there is a great danger they will answer the call of being an Afghan before being a Muslim.
How tragic, the twin brothers of the past are at each others throat, with one inciting the strategic assets to turn into strategic death which has already been predicted by leading defence analysts.
Karzai himself doesn't know what he is saying... so confusing statement.
@Imran: The term Afghani is the currency of Afghanistan and Afghan is term used to describe a national of Afghanistan. On the conflict, Afghanistan does not agree with the boarder Durand Line. As long as boarder dispute exist the two countries will never find forge a relationship based on mutual trust.
Cheers.
Vote for Combaticus !
Nice to know that Pakistan is picking enemies all around. Western border will bring some calm to India. Pakistan will die a death it deserves. It has blood of many innocents on its hands.
@Pakistani: Dear think practically it was ur mistake hv u ever seen any country accepted refugees in this much amount n they were uneducated n cultureless.
INDIA fought for bangaladesh on one condition when they will take back refugee.
Uneducated refugees r penic to any nation. Af refugee will hv been penic for america also if america accepted them.
Afghan's are good people, but there government is in c0ntrast to them. We've already seen the jaundice this karzai had when he lean forward to america. And now the hypocrite is getting his feet outta trouble by gaining the alliance with taliban. As stated by a mate above, afghan natives shall now clarify with whom they wanna stand and then shut talks and the darn border with afghanistan for eternity.
@Usman It isn't.
This is what we get after hosting millions of refugees from Afghanistan all over Pakistan over the last 30 years........So we did a thankless job !!
One should not give so much importance to what the Mayor of Kabul says..
Good Taliban have been exploiting Afghan nationalism. They need to take side, either with Pakistan or Afghanistan. Afghans are watching them closely, they need to come clean. They need to show how independent are they of Pakistan influence.
@Kumar R: How is that, in any way, shape or form, relevant to this story?
This man always talks non-sense. Could we just close the damn border for ever and cover the whole border with mines on our side. Pack all Afghanis back to their darling Afghanistan and if they are not willing to go kindly throw them in ocean. They don't deserve our sympathies.
Pakistan is provoking us. The great Afghan Nation is left with no choice but to defend our sovereignty from Pakistan army
First he accused US of working alongwith Taliban. Now he is trying to coopt Taliban on his side. The issue is that war is ending and US/NATO no longer pay the same attention to him as they used to. That is why he is trying to grab attention by giving erratic statements.
Mr Karzai, I don't know whether Taliban obliges or not but India would give its moral support against your enemies at all times.
If this is not open enticement for TTP and Taliban to increase attacks in Pakistan, then I don't know what this is. I hope the good taliban, bad taliban idelaogues will open their eyes and see the reality for themselves.
My nation extends its full moral support to the legitimate cause of the Afghans. India will always be by the side of its Afghan brothers.
This guy can make for a great drama actor, but leadership is certainly not his forte.