Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Saturday called on the Taliban to fight Afghanistan’s enemies in what was widely seen as a swipe against Pakistan days after the neighbors’ security forces clashed on the border.
Karzai’s remarks are expected to unsettle the already shaky ties with Pakistan and came at a time where United States was urging Pakistan to help Afghanistan persuade the Taliban to engage in peace talks ahead of the withdrawal of most foreign troops by the end of next year.
“Instead of destroying their own country, they should turn their weapons against places where plots are made against Afghan prosperity,” Karzai told reporters, saying this was “a reminder for the Taliban”.
“They should stand with this young man who was martyred and defend their soil,” he said, referring to an Afghan border policeman who was killed in Wednesday night’s clash on eastern Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan. Two Pakistani soldiers were wounded in the clash.
Hundreds of men took to the streets of the eastern Afghan town of Asadabad on Saturday, near where the clash took place, to protest against both Pakistan and the United States.
‘WILL NEVER ACCEPT DURAND LINE’
Furthermore, the Afghan president said that the government of Pakistan was looking to force Afghanistan for the recognition of controversial Durand line as the formal border between the two nations by creating issues including construction of border gates and other military installations.
Karzai insisted that the Afghan government would never recognise Durand as the formal border line between the two nations.
He also had a discussion with US Secretary of State John Kerry regarding the recent issues between Kabul and Islamabad.
Karzai’s spokesman said that the two sides discussed the recent clashes between Afghan and Pakistani troops in Goshta bordering region at eastern Nangarhar province.
Afghan forces had said that they had overrun and destroyed a Pakistani-held border crossing in a remote area during fighting that began Wednesday night and finished early Thursday morning.
According to Afghan officials, Pakistan had built the crossing without seeking approval and it was one of several that President Hamid Karzai had publicly complained about last month.