India should play bigger role in Afghanistan: Ezedyar

NEW DELHI: Against the backdrop of withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan in the next one year, a senior Afghan Parliamentarian today asserted that the country's security forces were capable of maintaining peace, even as he invited Indian investors to play a bigger role in the strife-torn country.

"After 2014, the role of India and the international community is extremely important and we believe that we want India's continuous support in the areas of agriculture, economic and education sector...we want Indian investors to invest more in Afghanistan to support our private sector.

Their investment will be of big importance to us," First Deputy Speaker of the Afghan upper house (Meshrano Jirga) Md Alam Ezedyar told reporters here.

He is part of a delegation of Afghan members of Parliament attending a training programme here.

Ezedyar said after 2014, Afghanistan will be able to "stand on its feet" and will be self sufficient.

"We have a strong army and police force and they are efficient to safeguard rule of law," he said.

Addressing the delegates, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said India will stand by the government and people of Afghanistan in its crucial period of transition.

"A democratic and peaceful Afghanistan is not only in the interest of the Afghan people, but of India, our South Asian region and the world at large," he said.

Kurien said developmental cooperation between the two countries stretched into areas like agriculture, rural development, industry, trade, food and nutrition. "Progress in these areas is taking place steadily," he said.