KABUL - President Hamid Karzai on Friday assured the country would not face any security challenge after the 2014 withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan and urged armed insurgents to stop killing people and avoid promoting outsiders' goals.
"I assure people that Afghanistan would move towards stability and development after 2014 withdrawal of international troops," said the president.
Speaking after the Eidul Adha prayer at the Presidential Palace's mosque, Karzai urged the Taliban and other opposition groups to halt killing innocent people, destroying schools, hospitals and mosques.
Under the constitution of Afghanistan, armed insurgents could live in the county and achieve any political position they want by contesting in the elections.
On Wednesday, Taliban leader Mullah Omar said the group would only negotiate with the US-led coalition in Afghanistan through their recently-created "political office."
In a message released ahead of Eidul Adha, the Taliban supremo said they established the political office to pursue their long-standing political agenda and all peace talks would be conducted through the office and ruled out any back-room dealings.
Meanwhile, Karzai also congratulated Afghans and Muslims across the world in celebrating Eidul Adha.
"I hope the Almighty Allah (would) stabilise the Islamic world and bless Afghanistan with permanent peace, development and freedom, for which they have made huge sacrifices."
Touching on regional peace, he said it would be impossible for the region to achieve stability without the cooperation of Pakistan, which is also grappling with terror threats, like Afghanistan.
He said: "After the attack on Malala Yousafzai, we issued letters to Pakistani leaders and received good responses from Pakistani president and Tehrik-i-Insaf party leader Imran Khan, and hope to take practical steps in this regard."
Days after Taliban militants shot the teenage student in Swat valley, Karzai called on Pakistani political leaders and religious scholars to collectively wage a campaign against the twin scourge -- terrorism and extremism. (Pajhwok)