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Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai backs Prime Minister Modi’s remarks on Balochistan
During his visit, Karzai spoke to several journalists about the Indian Prime Minister's mention of the restive province in Pakistan in his Independence Day speech
New Delhi, August 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks, addressing the struggle of Balochistan and the atrocities committed by Pakistan in the Southwester province, has received the support of many, not just by political leaders in the country but also in the region. The latest backing came from former President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai, who is in New Delhi at the invitation of Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, a Delhi-based think-tank. During his visit, Karzai spoke to several journalists about the Indian Prime Minister’s mention of the restive province in Pakistan in his Independence Day speech and his open support for Balochs in an all-party meeting a few days earlier.
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The former Afghan President backed Modi’s statements saying, “Pakistani authorities have spoken freely on Afghanistan and India, but this is the first time that the PM of India has spoken about Balochistan,” senior journalist Suhasini Haider reported for The Hindu. “However I don’t think India intends to go to any proxy wars in the region as it has a tradition of peaceful coexistence. The region should not go to proxy wars”. He also pointed out the suffering of Balochs at the hands of extremists, backed by the Pakistani government, adding that “the people’s concerns need to be addressed and aired”.
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Often, Islamabad has accused India of “fomenting terrorism” in the province through its intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). Not surprisingly, spokespersons of Pakistan Foreign Office reacted sharply to Modi’s Balochistan remarks, saying it’s proof of Pakistan’s contention. Afghanistan too, has been blamed for insurgency in Balochistan several times in the past. The province is also a base for the Afghan Taliban, since it is from there that they launch attacks in Afghanistan. In another interview to The Wire, Karzai said, “it is from there (Balochistan) that we see extremism arrive here (in Afghanistan)”.
Confident of New Delhi’s position on the region, he reiterated that India will not get involved in a proxy war. “I know the Indian mentality. India will seek to ameliorate things, to resolve things, rather than aggravate… It is always about softening things, not about hardening things,” he said.
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