Karzai castigates Pakistan for providing refuge to terrorists

ISLAMABAD - At a press conference with Asif Ali Zardari, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has criticised Pakistan for harbouring sanctuaries and training camps of the terrorists within its territorial limits.

“There are sanctuaries and training camps in our countries. Militants are not coming from Ivory Coast, they are coming from our lands,” the Dawn quoted Karzai, as saying.

He has been accusing Pakistan of taking no action against terrorists’ sanctuaries and training camps for several years.

However, at the press conference, the two presidents, underlining the need for concerted and coordinated efforts to eliminate extremism from their soils, pledged to work together against terrorism.

Commenting on reports that Indian consulates in Afghanistan were being used for destabilising Balochistan, Karzai said his government would never allow anyone to use its territory against any other country, adding that he was ready to help normalise relations between Pakistan and India.

Replying to a question on his offer of talks to Taliban leader Mullah Omar, Karzai clarified his offer, saying, “We have made talks offer to those Taliban who are not part of Al Qaeda and are ready to obey the Afghan constitution.”

A delegation-level meeting to discuss issues of mutual concern and explore the possibility of enhancing the existing cooperation between the two countries followed the one-to-one meeting between the two presidents.

Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Zalmai Rassoul, Defence Minister General Abdul Rahim Wardak and National Security Adviser Dr Rangeen Dadfar Wardak represented the Afghan delegation, while Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Commerce Minister Amin Fahim and Interior Minister Rehman Malik represented Pakistan. (ANI)