Afghan situation improving after 9/11 attacks, says Karzai

Hyderabad, Apr 12 (UNI) Neglect of Afghanistan by the international community resulted in the 9/11 attack on the US , Afghan President Hamid Karzai said here today.

Addressing students at the Osmania University campus, Mr Karzai said the world suddenly woke up on September 11, 2001 to take stock of Afghanistan. Earlier, Afghanistan made several pleas to the international community to come to their rescue. ''Why did the world not recognise our plight earlier? I am happy at least now after several years the world at large is looking at Afghanistan,'' he added.

Mr Karzai informed that not a single youth got proper education between 1979 and 2001 in Afghanistan. He said before the invasion of the erstwhile Soviet Union on Afghanistan in 1979, Kabul was a major centre of higher education.

''But with the invasion of the Soviet union, the youth of the country either had to run for their life or get killed in the hands of Communists. As a result many fled as refugees to Iran, Pakistan and India,'' he added.

Mr Karzai said the youth of Afghanistan had a great challenge to end the Communist rule, who were imposing alien form of life.

He too participated in the liberation struggle and had waged ''jihad'' against the Soviet army, he said.

Taliban and al-Qaida terrorist groups played spoil sport and caused lot of destruction to life, property and value system,'' he added.

The Afghan President said that in 1992 with the withdrawal of Soviet troops, a new government was formed. However, due to the impact of the Soviets and terrorists for a long time, the country suffered for another 10 years due to poor education and infrastructural facility.

After the September 11 attack, countries like the US, Europe and India joined hands to help Afghanistan, he added.

Mr Karzai said now they have their own Constitution which gives equality of rights and freedom of religion to all citizens.

''Twentyfive per cent of seats in the parliament are allotted to women,'' he added.

Mr Karzai said India is one of the frontline participants in the reconstruction of Afghanistan. He termed India as a major economic power.

He further stated the youth of the country should respect the country to which they belong and should develop core values concerning the external world. He said politics without morality is close to sin.

Osmania University Vice Chancellor Suleman Siddiqui, Andhra Pradesh Labour Minister G Vinod Kumar and Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan Rakesh Sood also participated in the meeting.

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