As India was making ready to shut down its embassy in Kabul on August 15 final yr within the wake of the Taliban takeover, Hamid Karzai urged Indian ambassador Rudendra Tandon to not depart, the previous Afghanistan president advised The Indian Express in an interview. mentioned in.
Karzai declined to present particulars of that dialog, saying, “Of course, it was very clear that I had advised him not to go.” “There was no cause to depart India, I’m glad they’re coming again. I’m urging the leaders of the Government of India to reopen the embassy. There are so many relations between Afghanistan and India that India’s presence is required right here. Active full energy presence right here. So I’m glad they’re returning. And I need them to come back again full power, full power.
Karzai, who studied in India from 1979–1983, mentioned that Delhi ought to, “on a priority”, re-issue visas to Afghan college students finding out in India, and couldn’t return to their research, and people Visa needs to be issued to those that need. Study in India. “The return of (Afghan) students is important,” he mentioned.
“We are speaking about India, Afghanistan, people-to-people, civilizational ties. This is the rationale why India has a spot in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is positioned in India. Therefore, this engagement with the Afghan folks is critical and India ought to return.
Karzai, who led Afghanistan from 2002 to 2014, for 2 years as head of a transitional administration and, after the 2004 elections, as president, lives within the Afghan capital. His house is close to Zambak Square, an space whose fortifications have been captured by the Taliban. An armored automobile with a gun mounted on it’s stationed on the sq.. Taliban armed activists test id and papers each few metres.
Karzai’s home is subsequent to Arg, Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is now run by the Taliban. Their personal safety is deployed contained in the premises.
hamid karzai
Former President of Afghanistan (AP)
Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah, who served as former chief govt within the first Ashraf Ghani authorities, have been the one two high political leaders who remained after the takeover of the Taliban. As panic unfold over the information of Ghani’s departure, the 2 leaders’ assertion that they might proceed to handle a peaceable transition served as a reassurance to Kabul residents.
Since then, Abdullah has traveled outdoors the nation, together with India earlier this yr. Karzai is allowed to satisfy guests at residence and inside the metropolis, however is just not allowed to depart Kabul. The Taliban has turned down his request to journey overseas.
Asked if he was a Taliban prisoner, he mentioned: “No, I haven’t been able to go abroad yet. Whatever we describe it, I wouldn’t call him a prisoner.”
Karzai’s son had lately left for Germany to review. The former president mentioned his son had the chance to review overseas in 2020, however each he and his spouse needed him to finish education in Afghanistan. “But then things changed, and education deteriorated, so there was no opportunity for him to educate here, and we, out of compulsion, agreed to send him to Germany,” he mentioned.
Karzai additionally has three youthful daughters, who go to highschool in Kabul. “I want my daughters to study here. And also here for class 6 to 12 studies. and the Taliban. I am urging them strongly, very strongly, to re-open girls’ school as a very important issue for our country,” he mentioned. The Taliban have banned the schooling of women from class 6 onwards.
Karzai mentioned he and Abdullah had urged the Taliban to reopen excessive faculties for ladies. “They have to, this decision has to be made. It’s inevitable. The country can’t move towards dying. If we’re not going to school, it means we’re killing ourselves and our future. So, that’s all. There is no other option. It is an imperative. Does a word go beyond imperative, or does it end here?” Karzai mentioned.
Karzai mentioned the response from the Taliban to his and Abdullah’s attraction has been very constructive. He mentioned, ‘We are ready for motion on all this.
As these working the nation, the Taliban have been now answerable for making certain that “the Afghans do not leave the country, that the educated are not only given the opportunity to live in Afghanistan, but that those who have gone are attracted to come back.” They have their very own nation, and that the federal government represents the aspirations of all of the Afghan folks,” he mentioned.
He mentioned a significant change within the earlier yr was that there have been no large-scale “battles” or casualties. “In that sense, there is much better security. In this respect, the rural areas are much better than before.”
“But in different elements, within the financial system, we now have a severe scarcity, by way of schooling, there was a severe decline, universities should not functioning even to half their power, faculties should not functioning as much as half their power. And most significantly, ladies should not going to highschool from class 6 to 12. Apart from this many extra. We misplaced the nation’s reserves, $7 billion. For a rustic with poor means and sources, that is some huge cash. Institutions have been broken, the state itself has collapsed, we now have not less than 55 military helicopters in our neighboring nations. Imagine if every of these helicopters counted not less than between 10 and $15 million, that is about $700 million. So we have misplaced lots.”
He mentioned he had requested the Taliban to start out “national talks” with all Afghans. “You can’t rule a rustic with out technocrats, with out educated folks, with out professionals, you can’t rule the nation successfully with out the participation of girls. Therefore all elements of fine governance should be applied. And It ought to start with dialogue with all Afghans. And it needs to be an expression of the desire of the Afghan folks on the way forward for the federal government and the nation.”
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The will of the folks may be traced to the standard Afghan meeting of the Loya Jirga, or by way of a referendum. “Whatever is the best approach at a given point in time, should be used,” he mentioned.
He lately dismissed a Loya Jirga as not one. “It was another jirga of the Taliban, a meeting of the clergy at large of the country’s religious scholars, plus a few others. So it was not really representative in any sense,” he mentioned.
On the US killing of al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul, Karzai mentioned Taliban officers had introduced that they weren’t conscious of his presence and would examine. “Let the investigation take place, let them come to the conclusion of the investigation and let the world and the Afghan people interpret it,” he mentioned.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
