ID :
16485
Wed, 08/20/2008 - 17:26
Auther :

Post-Musharraf, Pak govt will be able to rein in ISI: Karzai

as Pakistani President, Afghan leader Hamid Karzai has expressed hopes that the democratically elected government in that country would be able to rein in the ISI which allegedlyplayed a key role in the Indian Embassy bombing in Kabul.

More than 50 people, including a Brigadier-rank Indian defence attache and a senior IFS officer, were killed in the suicide car bomb attack on the Indian mission in Kabul last month, which saw Afghanistan and the United States hinting atthe involvement of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence.

"(Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza) Gilani is a good man. He has the right intentions. I hope he gets the tools of control. That is for the Pakistani government to decide, and that is for us and the international community to help him with. Afghanistan will go out of its way," President Karzaisaid in an interview to the 'Time' magazine.

Stressing that Afghanistan's relations with India cannot be wrecked by bombs or suicides or by violence, Karzai said: "Our relationship with India in the same manner is not counterproductive to Pakistan. It is between Afghanistan andIndia. India is one of the great economic powers.

"(India provided) a good educational environment for Afghans -- I was one of them and there are a thousand more like me in India now. Afghanistan wants this relationship, and we hope that Pakistan evolves into a good relationship with India as well. We have clarity about our objectives, our way forward, and about what we want to lead into the future. Thiscannot be undermined by bombs," he said.

Calling upon the Pakistani Army to intervene in a bid to put an end to ISI's "supporting militancy" in war-ravaged Afghanistan, Karzai said that "without friendly relations withPakistan" his country "cannot achieve peace or prosperity".

"I hope he (Pakistani Army Chief Gen Ashfaq P Kiyani) recognises that what they are doing (in terms of supporting militancy in Afghanistan) is causing immense damage to Pakistan itself. Someone has to recognise this need for change, and for a modern relationship with Afghanistan, acivilised relationship. I hope it will occur.

"Afghanistan's progress and stability will only add to Pakistan's progress and stability. Afghanistan will bring prosperity to add to Pakistan. Afghanistan will bring noquarrels to Pakistan," Karzai said.


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