US should not penalise Afghans for Pakistan’s crime: former Afghan President Hamid Karzai

Kabul: – The United States have frozen the reserves of Afghanistan worth USD 7 billion held with them after the Taliban took over Afghanistan. The Biden administration has issued orders to use half of this money to pay compensations to the families of the victims of the 9/11 attacks. Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai said that this decision is unjust to the Afghan population. Karzai pointed out that Osama Bin Laden, the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, was found and killed in Pakistan and it was Pakistan had brought him to Afghanistan.

The people of Afghanistan did not invite Osama Bin Laden to their country. Pakistan had got Laden to Kabul. Later, he returned to Pakistan. After that, Osama Bin Laden was found and killed on Pakistan land. Therefore, Pakistan was linked to Osama Bin Laden and not Afghanistan. Karzai has raised questions as to why the Afghan population is being punished for the crimes committed by Pakistan. Karzai was speaking to an Afghan news agency.

The Taliban had demanded that the United States release the funds of Afghanistan. Former President Karzai said that all are united and are with the Taliban on this demand. The United States should deposit these funds in the Afghan Central bank. Karzai demanded that these funds be used for day-to-day needs and kept as reserves with provisions to increase the fund over time. Meanwhile, protests have started in Afghanistan against the decision of Joe Biden to use the funds for compensation to the victims of 9/11. The protestors are demanding compensation for thousands of Afghans that the United States killed in the last 20 years.

The Taliban has given a solid reaction to this decision of President Biden. The Taliban spokesperson said that it is evident that the United States have lost their morality. By demanding that the United States should not punish Afghanis for the Pakistani crimes, Karzai is suggesting that the United States should recover this compensation from Pakistan.

There was severe criticism blaming Pakistan for its betrayal leading to the failure of the US for disgraceful withdrawal from Afghanistan. The US lawmakers and former military and intelligence officials had accused Pakistan. They demanded they pay for this, as Pakistan had nurtured and protected the Taliban. Given this, US President Biden has still not spoken to the Pakistan Prime Minister even on the telephone. Moreover, it is being exposed that the Pakistan government is trying to increase Chinese influence in Afghanistan. Karzai has once again reminded the United States of the Pakistani crimes in this scenario. The demand made by Karzai that instead of punishing the Afghan population by using their funds, Pakistan, which sheltered Osama Bin Laden, the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, should be penalised.