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Hamid Karzai criticises US move to use Afghan assets for aid and 9/11 victims
Former president Hamid Karzai has criticized the Biden administration for its decision to split Afghanistan’s frozen assets between 9/11 victims and aid for the country.
Biden on Friday ordered Afghanistan’s $7 billion in foreign reserves, held by the US, to be released and divided.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, Karzai said the funds “belong to the Afghan people”. He also said he believed the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) would eventually allow girls to return to school, since doing so is “absolutely necessary for the well-being” of Afghanistan.
Karzai urged the Biden administration to rescind the decision to allocate half the $7 billion in Afghan assets frozen in the US to families of victims of the 9/11 attacks. He said the money belonged to the Afghan people and that it was “wrong” to use it for other purposes.
He also said that before any international recognition of the IEA takes place, Afghans from all walks of life need to come together to discuss the future of the country.
Karzai said he and former chief executive Abdullah Abdullah had formally asked the IEA to call a traditional Loya Jirga.
The former leader said there should be “no compromise” about the full return of girls to school and women to the workplace. However, he expressed confidence that the IEA would indeed allow girls to return to school.
Two people have been killed amid protests against a poppy eradication campaign in northeastern Badakhshan province, local officials said.
Authorities said counter-narcotics forces were deployed on Friday to Atan Jalo area of Argo district to destroy poppy fields. Clashes erupted after a number of farmers and residents reportedly attempted to block the operation.
Officials said a child was killed during Friday’s unrest, while another person died on Saturday as protests and tensions continued in the area.
According to local authorities, demonstrators also temporarily blocked the Kishm–Faizabad highway, disrupting traffic for several hours before it was reopened following coordinated efforts by security officials, religious scholars, and community elders.
Officials blamed “drug traffickers and criminal groups” for inciting the unrest and said security forces have since regained control of the area.
A high-ranking Uzbek delegation comprising government officials and private sector representatives from the Republic of Karakalpakstan arrived in Kabul on Saturday to discuss the expansion of trade and economic cooperation with Afghanistan.
The delegation is headed by Amanbay Orinbayev, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Karakalpakstan.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the delegation is expected to hold talks with Nooruddin Azizi, the Minister of Industry and Commerce, focusing on strengthening bilateral trade and economic relations.
The ministry said the visiting delegation will also participate in trade connectivity meetings and business-to-business sessions aimed at enhancing commercial cooperation between the two sides.
As part of the visit, the Uzbek delegation is also scheduled to travel to Balkh province, where members will attend additional trade meetings and inaugurate an exhibition showcasing Uzbekistan’s domestic products.
Hamid Karzai, former president of Afghanistan, has expressed concern over recent developments along the Durand Line, saying Pakistan has increased military and economic pressure on villages and residents living near the line.
In a statement, Karzai said the apparent purpose of these pressures is to push residents of Durand Line areas to seek help from Pakistani institutions for resolving security and other local issues.
He added that, amid this situation, some tribal elders from both sides of the Durand Line recently signed documents described as “peace agreements,” which were later officially welcomed by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to Karzai, these developments amount to an effort by Pakistan to legitimize the Durand Line and represent an action against Afghanistan’s national sovereignty.
The former Afghan president also urged the relevant Afghan authorities to provide the public with a clear explanation regarding the recent agreements and developments along the Durand Line.
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