Karzai in India to express solidarity against terror

The President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, who is in New Delhi on a two-day visit, will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here on Monday to discuss security issues and to express his solidarity with India in its fight against terror.

Karzai, accompanied by Foreign Minister Rangeen Dadfar Spanta and his National Security Adviser Zalmay Rasoul, had arrived New Delhi on Sunday evening on a surprise visit.

•   E-mail Article
•   Printer Friendly
•   Text-Size    

His visit comes days after his meeting with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari in Kabul and a day after US Vice-President elect Joe Biden met him in an impromptu visit from Islamabad.

The prime minister is expected to share with Karzai the post-Mumbai terror attack evidences that links Pakistan-based terror outfits, Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and other Pakistan based elements. While Karzai may share any information Afghan intelligence may have about LeT operatives and their possible links with the Taliban.

Karzai is likely to inform Dr. Singh about the latest developments in the probe into the July 7 attack on Indian embassy.

The two leaders will also hold discussion on bilateral cooperation to conquer terrorism, the latest situation in the region and fighting against terrorism, economic co-operation, and will seek ways to build closer ties between the two countries, a statement issued from the Afghan president’s office said.

India and Afghanistan will also discuss to ramp up counter-terrorism cooperation and enhance security for around 2,000 Indian workers involved in various reconstruction activities in Afghanistan.

Afghan Foreign Minister Spanta will also meet his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee Monday to discuss the developments in the wake of the terrorist assaults in Mumbai.

Karzai’s visit is also significant as India and Afghanistan have come closer as both the countries are victim of Pakistan based terror groups who are also targeting Afghanistan as the Pakistan Taliban. Pakistan based terror groups were also behind the attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul, which Karzai’s government had acknowledged after investigation, and an assassination attempt on Karzai in April. Moreover, the two countries came closer in the past seven years as it is India who is helping Afghanistan in its revival.

Earlier, the Afghan president had visited India in August 2008 in the aftermath of the bombing outside the Indian embassy in Kabul. India blamed Pakistan's spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) for the embassy blast in which over 50 people, including two senior Indian diplomats, were killed. Pakistan, on the other hand, has denied ISI’s role in embassy blast as of now.