Pakistan mustn't interfere in Afghanistan affairs, says Hamid Karzai

Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said that Islamabad must not interfere in Kabul's internal affairs, a statement which came in response to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's remark about the ongoing political situation in the war-torn nation, as well as the threat posed by the Islamic State terror group, the media reported.

On Sunday while addressing the 17th Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Islamabad, Khan had said that if the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan doesn't have the capability to fight terrorism, the IS will become a threat.

He also said that unless immediate action is taken, Afghanistan is heading for chaos.

In response, Karzai said these allegations were not true, adding that the IS from the beginning has been threatening Afghanistan from Pakistan, not the other way around, TOLO News reported.

"These remarks are not true, and are obvious propaganda against Afghanistan," the former leader said in a statement. "In fact, from the beginning, Afghanistan has been facing Daesh's threat from Pakistan."

Also reacting to Khan's claim that poverty was widespread in Afghanistan even before the former government's collapse due to years of corruption, Karzai said the Pakistan government must stop interfering in Afghanistan's affairs and stop talking on behalf of Kabul at international gatherings.

He also said such remarks insult the people of Afghanistan.

--IANS

ksk/