Kabul, April 08: Afghan opposition leader Abdullah Abdullah has called on the government of President Hamid Karzai to make fundamental reforms in running the country.
“Afghanistan will become worse than the Middle Eastern countries unless the government makes fundamental reforms,” Media quoted Abdullah as saying in the capital Kabul on Thursday.
The opposition leader made his remarks in a Kabul forum, seemingly comparing the Afghan situation with those Middle Eastern states that have recently faced popular uprisings.
Afghans have become impatient and demand serious reforms in the government, Abdullah said, adding that people’s patience should not be tested again.
Abdullah insisted that what people in Afghanistan are seeking is a national government that respects the rights of its people.
The government has not yet commented on the opposition leader’s remarks.
Abdullah, who is the head of the Coalition for Change and Hope, was favored by the US and its Western allies in the 2009 presidential election against President Karzai.
He came in second place but quit the run-off election, accusing Karzai of rigging the votes.
The US and NATO forces invaded Afghanistan nearly 10 years ago with the claims of fighting terrorism.
However, NATO has admitted that violence in Afghanistan has been on the rise despite the presence of about 150,000 US-led forces in the war-weary country.
——–Agencies