Afghanistan backs India on surgical strikes

New Delhi, Sept 30: Afghanistan on Friday backed India on the cross-border surgical strikes on terror launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, saying Prime Minister rendra Modi was taking “bold decisions” in the fight against terrorism. Afghan Ambassador to India Shaida Mohammad Abdali told media: “The goal is that we have to end a problem that is increasingly taking our lives. “I can see Prime Minister Modi taking bold decisions. The leadership of the region and the governments must take bold decisions and take risks in order to free ourselves for good,” he said.

“We have to fight a phenomenon that is going to inflict us in a much bigger way. If you have that in mind, that means you need to do more and use different measures,” he said, referring to terrorism. “The goal is that we have to end a problem that is increasingly taking our lives,” Abdali said. “(There is) no doubt about clear use of terrorism by a state against neighbours. I am glad to see the world recognising this more than any time before.” “Saarc calls for cooperation for peace between the eight South Asian tions, fighting terrorism and free trade,” Abdali said.

Abdali, who earlier served as Deputy tiol Security Advisor and Special Assistant to former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, said Kabul did not make any distinction between terror groups. “We have suffered from terrorist groups from across the border. We feel the pain in a similar way as India.” On Pakistan, he said “patience was wearing thin” and “it is high time we review our relations. “We have tried our best to have good neighbourly relations but the goodwill has not been reciprocated,” Abdali said. “We have the problem of terrorism and Balochistan is our neighbour,” the Ambassador said. “We have always stated that we want to fight terrorism not only for the sake of the Afghans, we want to fight terrorism for the sake of all of us — for the sake of the common people of Pakistan, for Baloches there and for all others living in Balochistan, especially the Pashtuns.”

As for India-Afghanistan ties, the Ambassador said: “Prime Minister Modi’s two visits to Afghanistan within six months is a testimony of the depth of our ties.” He said the agreement signed between India, Afghanistan and Iran signed in June to develop the Chabahar port in Iran would help develop strategic relations in the region. (IANS)