Afghanistan Home Minister Mohamad Omar Daudzai indirectly blames Pakistan for terror surge

NEW DELHI: Afghanistan Home Minister Mohamad Omar Daudzai claimed indirectly referring to Pakistan, terrorists in his country are coming from the east and also using it is a base to travel to central Asia and China to foment trouble there.

“The terrorists are coming to Afghanistan from the east and going all the way to central Asia and China,” Daudzai told ET on the sidelines of an international security conference organised by the Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation and Munich Security Conference.

Daudzai confirmed India’s fear that Pakistan would like to regain strategic depth in Afghanistan by encouraging Taliban from across the border.

This is the first visit by an Afghani minister to New Delhi since Ashraf Ghani was sworn in as the new president in Kabul. Vice-president Hamid Karzai represented India at Ghani’s swearing ceremony in last month.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held telephonic talks with both Ghani and his predecessor Hamid Karzai and assured New Delhi’s fullest support.

Daudzai, who is no stranger to India, described Delhi as an all-weather friend and felt change of guard will have no impact on bilateral relations. “From India, there is only positive help for Afghanistan. New government led by president Ghani has to settle down but slogan of team is continuity with reforms. With India, continuity will apply. We are looking forward to the same level of cooperation with New Delhi including military supplies and training,” said Daudzai.

The Karzai-government had given a wish list of military supplies to the erstwhile Manmohan Singh government. Besides supplying two helicopters, the UPA regime decided to work with Russia to route military supplies to Kabul. It also decided to operate a military repair centre near Kabul, jointly with Russia.