Afghan President Hamid Karzai. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has called for cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan in the fight against terrorism and extremism.
“Using terrorism and extremism as a political tool is in no country’s interest. Afghanistan and Pakistan must join hands to fight terrorism and extremism – or [else] our coming generations will face the consequences,” Karzai said in a statement issued from the presidential palace on Saturday.
President Karzai congratulated Pakistani teenage education activist Malala Yousafzai on her 16th birthday and said that the pursuit of education in both Afghanistan and Pakistan was impeded by terrorists. He added that students, teachers and education workers have been frequently targeted by terrorists on either side of the Durand Line.
Describing the attacks on students and educational institutes as an ‘act by the enemies of Islam’, the Afghan leader said: “The elements who oppose peoples’ progress and development commit such crimes.” While addressing the Youth Assembly at the United Nations on Friday to mark her 16th birthday, Malala said that terrorism and war had deterred children both in Afghanistan and Pakistan from going to school.
She said: “One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world” and extremists are afraid of this change that education could bring in society.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 14th, 2013.
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Even women of Afghanistan have more worthy say than this Karzai.
Mr President, it is enough sir please dont call on them because they wont listen and they wont appreicate it - let them deal with their problems while we can handle our issues inshallah.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have one thing in common - they certainly have leaders which are fond of saying one thing and doing the opposite.
What a hypocrite & an opportunist! One day Pakstan is vilified & the next day he claims to be a brother. This coming from someone on the ISI payroll from his Quetta days. Pakistan has hosted millions of refugees & dealt with the resultant fallout through decades. Admittedly, we have also played a seriously negative role in Afghanistan for which our Government should make genuine amends but only if its a 2 way street. The Afghan Government & Intelligence is just as much involved in destabilizing our country as many others are. Perhaps the departure of the Americans, it's related implications & possible solutions need deeper understanding.
America is going and taliban are getting strength now Karzai is taking a soft stance for Pakistan.
The man should make up his mind, one day Pakistan is the cause for his terrorism, next day he wants to partner with them to eradicate terrorism. He now knows his days are numbered as soon s US (NATO) leaves he is done.
The unrepresentative character of your government is one of the causes of sustaining terror movements in Afghanistan.
Its time he retired to his estate in America or wherever.
Unstable Karzai