Will stand by brother Pak if it goes to war with US: Karzai

Afghanistan will be a brother of Pakistan.

After being critical of Pakistan over its links with Taliban militants,Afghan President Hamid Karzai has now said his country would stand by Islamabad in the event of hostilities with any nation,including the United States.

God forbid,if at any time there is a war between Pakistan and America,then we will be with Pakistan, Karzai said in an interview with Pakistans Geo News,excerpts of which were aired on Saturday.

Asked if Afghanistan would back Pakistan if it was attacked by India,Karzai replied: Anybody that attacks Pakistan,Afghanistan will stand with Pakistan. Afghanistan will be a brother of Pakistan. Afghanistan would never betray a brother.

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Karzais comments came against the backdrop of increased tensions between Pakistan and the US on the issue of tackling terror groups like the Haqqanis,which use bases in Pakistans tribal belt to carry out attacks on the US and allied forces in Afghanistan.

Karzai had been critical of Pakistans role after the assassination of former president and peace envoy Burhanuddin Rabbani. The Afghan President even said that the Taliban will not be able to move a finger without Pakistani support.

However,Karzai turned soft on Pakistan during the interview,calling it a brother.

Afghanistan is a brother. (Despite) all that the Pakistani establishment has done to Afghanistan,Afghanistan is still a brother, he added.

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At the same time,Karzai sought to address Pakistans concerns about the agreement signed recently by Afghanistan and India,saying the two countries had been working on the pact for years.

Our relation with India,our signing of the strategic partnership with India,it did not happen at the spur of the moment. This is something that we have been working on for years now, Karzai said.

But the visit (to India) was not after these troubles that took place. It was planned long,long before, he added.

However,Karzai said there was pain in Afghanistan over Pakistans dealing with his country. Please,brother,stop using all methods that hurt us and are now hurting you. Lets engage from a different platform,in which the two brothers only progress towards a better future in peace and harmony, he said.