"Pakistani circles" behind Afghan violence - Karzai

KABUL, Jan 21 (Reuters) Afghan President Hamid Karzai said today ''certain Pakistani circles'' were protecting insurgents fighting in Afghanistan, and added drugs and corruption in his government were contributing to the violence.

Karzai, speaking at the opening of a new session of the Afghan parliament, said the danger from the insurgency and drugs would intensify in the coming year, and he called on people to rally to the defence of the nation.

''The enemies of Afghanistan's freedom and independence very disgracefully continued their intervention and meddling in our internal affairs,'' Karzai said, referring to last year which was the bloodiest since U.S.-led forces defeated the Taliban in 2001.

''They formed terrorist groups consisting of international terrorist networks under the protection of some certain Pakistani circles for martyring mercilessly our children, teachers and clerics,'' he said. He did not elaborate.

More than 4,000 people were killed in Afghan violence last year and Western forces expect the level of attacks to pick up when warmer weather arrives in the spring.

Pakistan was the main supporter of the Taliban until the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States, when it joined the US-led war on terrorism.

But Afghan anger at Taliban infiltration from Pakistan has seriously strained relations between the US allies.

The US military has reported a sharp increase in the number of Taliban attacks from Pakistan, where US military officials say the Taliban's command and control is based in lawless tribal areas.

Pakistan, which has been battling militants in its tribal lands on the border, acknowledges that some militants are slipping into Afghanistan, but says the Taliban are an Afghan problem, feeding on poverty and anger with the government over corruption.

Karzai highlighted the danger of corruption.

''Administrative corruption is one of the main problems of the government and society. There is a direct link between terrorism, the cultivation and trafficking of narcotics and administrative corruption,'' he said.

''The coming year will be a riskier year in terms of terrorism and the fight against drugs,'' Karzai said.

Karzai also told parliament Afghanistan's former king, Mohammad Zahir Shah, was recovering from an illness and was fine.

Zahir Shah, 92, holds no power but was given the symbolic title of ''Father of the Nation'' after he returned to Afghanistan in 2002 from decades of exile in Italy, after the Taliban were ousted.

REUTERS DKA PM1756