With Pervez Musharraf stepping down as Pakistan President, Afghan leader Hamid Karzai has expressed hopes that the democratically elected government in that country would be able to rein in the Inter Services Intelligence, which allegedly played a key role in the Indian Embassy bombing in Kabul.
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More than 50 people, including a Brigadier-rank Indian defence attache and a senior officer of the Indian Foreign Service, were killed in the suicide car bomb attack on the Indian mission in Kabul last month, which saw Afghanistan and the United States hinting at the involvement of ISI.
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"Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is a good man. He has the right intentions. I hope he gets the tools of control. That is for the Pakistani government to decide, and that is for us and the international community to help him with. Afghanistan will go out of its way," President Karzai said in an interview to Time magazine.
Drawing lessons from the Kabul bombing
Stressing that Afghanistan's relations with India cannot be wrecked by bombs or suicides or by violence, Karzai said, "Our relationship with India in the same manner is not counterproductive to Pakistan. It is between Afghanistan and India. India is one of the great economic powers.
"(India provided) a good educational environment for Afghans -- I was one of them and there are a thousand more like me in India now. Afghanistan wants this relationship, and we hope that Pakistan evolves into a good relationship with India as well. We have clarity about our objectives, our way forward, and about what we want to lead into the future. This cannot be undermined by bombs," he said.
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Calling upon the Pakistani army to intervene in a bid to put an end to ISI's 'supporting militancy' in war-ravaged Afghanistan, Karzai said, "Without friendly relations with Pakistan, Afghanistan cannot achieve peace or prosperity".
"I hope he (Pakistan army chief General Ashfaq P Kiyani) recognises that what they are doing (in terms of supporting militancy in Afghanistan) is causing immense damage to Pakistan itself. Someone has to recognise this need for change, and for a modern relationship with Afghanistan, a civilised relationship. I hope it will occur.
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"Afghanistan's progress and stability will only add to Pakistan's progress and stability. Afghanistan will bring prosperity to add to Pakistan. Afghanistan will bring no quarrels to Pakistan," Karzai said.
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