KABUL (PAN): Presidential candidate Abdul Ghafoor Zoori says he does not recognise the Durand Line and, if elected to the top office, he will resolve the issue by seeking the intervention of the international community. In an exclusive interview with Pajhwok Afghan News, Zoori explained Afghanistan had no problem with any country except Pakistan. The only spat with the neighbouring country was the status of the British-era frontier, he said. Similarly, Zoori stressed that Afghan areas that became part of Pakistan following the imposition of the Durand Line must be returned to his country. "This borderline drawn up by British rulers is not acceptable to Afghans." The 2,630-kilometre border was established between the British-ruled India and Afghanistan in November 1893 under an agreement between Amir Abdur Rehman and the colonial empire. As a result of the agreement, Swat, Bajaur, Waziristan and some other areas were separated from Afghanistan and incorporated into the present-day Pakistan for a period of 100 years. The treaty lost its legal effect in 1993. On the current situation in Afghanistan, the presidential hopeful said foreign troops were responsible for the unrest. "We earned enemies after the deployment of NATO troops to Afghanistan. Our enemies were created by the same (NATO) people," he alleged. Zoori believed a lasting peace could be restored only when the foreign troops including ISAF and coalition soldiers left Afghanistan. After the foreign military pullout, he felt, Afghans would have a chance to come closer and resolve their differences through negotiations. Their personal gains are far more important to foreign troops than the core national interest of Afghanistan. So, this is our responsibility to keep our national interests supreme over all other considerations, he observed. He underlined the need for strengthening the national security forces and said the Afghan troops must develop the capability of competing with foreigners. He asked the international troops to work in coordination with Afghan security forces. If elected as president, Zoori promised he would ask the foreigners to clarify the purpose of their presence in Afghanistan. "If they are here to defend us, then they should work in coordination with our forces." Calling government opponents his brothers, Zoori said he would provide them the opportunity to join the political process. He believed the trial of those accused of war crimes literally became impossible after the announcement of a general amnesty by the government of then president Sibghatullah Mujaddedi. "We lost the opportunity the moment Mujaddedi announced a blanket amnesty for all, including criminals and warlords. Now trying war criminals is beyond our control," he reiterated. "Only the Americans can do so by taking them to the US and putting them on trial there." Commenting on the existing economic system, Zoori claimed an open market economy was not in the interest of Afghanistan. Instead he called for a mixed system in a country gifted with vast mining reserves. He listed the promotion of education and welfare of martyrs' families as his top priorities. Supportive of the Islamic banking system, he vowed to implement the order in consultation with religious scholars. He said the Afghans would support his programme by electing him as president. Because of his common touch, the candidate said he was better familiar with people's problems far better than any other aspirant. Therefore, he argued, the masses should vote him into the presidency. About the freedom of ex
