Language

Don't you have an account with Pajhwok Afghan News?

Click here to subscribe.

Afghanistan won’t allow proxy Pak-India war: Karzai

Afghanistan won’t allow proxy Pak-India war: Karzai

author avatar
20 Nov 2014 - 15:22
Afghanistan won’t allow proxy Pak-India war: Karzai
author avatar
20 Nov 2014 - 15:22

KABUL after the imminent departure of US-led troops.

Speaking in New Delhi, Karzai angrily rejected warnings by his one-time counterpart in Islamabad Pervez Musharraf that India and Pakistan could coopt allies among Afghanistan‘s main ethnic groups to effectively wage war against each other, saying such claims were “hurtful”.

 “Of course Afghanistan will not allow a proxy war between Pakistan and India,” Karzai said in an address to a think-tank, saying he was “sure” India wouldn’t allow such a scenario either.

Earlier this week, Musharraf warned that Pakistan would look to use ethnic Pashtuns to counter if India tries to achieve its goal of creating an “anti-Pakistan Afghanistan”.

Nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan have long accused each other of using proxy forces to try to gain influence in Afghanistan.

“If Indians are using some elements of the ethnic entities in Afghanistan, then Pakistan will use its own support for ethnic elements, and our ethnic elements are certainly Pashtuns,” the former general said.

 But Karzai said any suggestion that Pashtuns would do Pakistan’s bidding was “hurtful” and an insult to Afghanistan’s largest ethnic group. “That was a very unfortunate remark,” said Karzai, who is himself a Pashtun.

“Afghanistan has a history of 5,000 years. Pashtuns will be used as a tool is insulting to Pashtuns, insulting to the people of Afghanistan.”

ma

Views: 0

Related Topics

GET IN TOUCH

SUGGEST A STORY

Pajhwok is interested in your story suggestions. Please tell us your thoughts by clicking here.

PAJHWOK MOBILE APP

Download our mobile application to get the latest updates on your mobile phone. Read more