KABUL - President Hamid Karzai's political rival Dr. Abdullah Abdullah on Saturday denounced Karzai's recent remarks that the Hizb-i-Islami Afghanistan and Jamiat-i-Islami once turned Kabul into ruins as unjustified, insulting and unacceptable.

Karzai on Thursday told a youth gathering in Kabul that the Junbish e Milli Afghanistan led by Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum had joined former communist parties --- Parcham and Khalq -- to defeat the Jamiat-i-Islami that had similar designs against the Junbish.

The president also said these two groups had produced a number of commanders under the name of jihad.

But Abdullah, who heads his own faction Hope and Change party, told a news conference in Kabul that Karzai served as Afghanistan's president for more than a decade should resolve problems, instead of making provocative and sensitive statements.

"Karzai's remarks are unjustified, insulting and unacceptable for the people of Afghanistan," the former foreign minister said. Abdullah said the president's other remarks during his address to the youth were embarrassing as well.

Karzai said Afghanistan had identified its friends and foes, including Pakistan, the United States and Iran, and it would be Afghans' fault if they were deceived again.
Abdullah claimed Karzai had tried to divert people's attention from real issues.

The politician also said the policy prepared by the incumbent regime for Sunday's summit on Afghanistan in Tokyo, Japan, was incomplete because it lacked opinions from opposition political parties, civil society and lawmakers.

He said the Afghan government had been unable to come up with pledges it had committed to the international community in previous such gatherings. (Pajhwok)