Afghanistan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has pushed for a coordinated response from countries to tackle terrorism saying terror groups have become more brutal because of lack of coordination between the States.
Delivering the 16th Sapru House lecture organized by Indian Council of World Affairs, on Tuesday, Ghani said dealing with ecology of terrorism is getting much tougher with time, as it is fast becoming a system now.
“It (terrorism) is morphing very rapidly. If Al Qaeeda was Windows 1 then Daish is Window 5. With unprecedented amount being spent on terrorism, focus on brutality and networking is on a fast way,” Ghani said. While Ghani talked, fighting between military in Afghanistan and Taliban insurgents had intensified in its Kunduz province. In fact, President Ghani’s visit to India got delayed on Monday since he was engaged in consultation with US Gen. John Campbell, commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, on the matter.
The Afghan President said that with this ecology of terror, Afghanistan is seen as a “single theatre”. “They (terrorists) are pushed to our soil because we were seen weak. We have become a battle front. We do not want to be a place for proxy war but a place for transfer (business) and convergence,” said Ghani while speaking on the topic “The Rebirth of Asian Continent economy: regional co-operation and Afghanistan’s co-operative advantage.”
And even as Ghani mentioned terrorism as biggest challenge in Afghanistan’s economic development, he listed out plans and priorities for the country. He said the country has an advantage of its central location, which in 18th century was a hub for transit of goods and a business point.
In a bid to attract investments and trade, Ghani mentioned about the minerals resources that Afghanistan is blessed with. “We have huge deposits of copper, iron and marble. 14 out of 17 rare earth minerals are found in Afghanistan,” Ghani said adding that his nation has immense potential for the region.
Ghani supported Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s idea for regional road connectivity that can boost trade and tourism. “There can be a day when you can start after heavy breakfast in Delhi, stop for lunch at Peshawar and reach Kabul by dinner time. I look forward to a day when after my retirement, I drive from Kabul to Delhi,” Ghani said.