KABUL - President Hamid Karzai on Saturday asked the media to play a proactive role in strengthening the nation by giving the people confidence in the country's future.

"Afghan TV channels are screening anti-Afghanistan programs. I hope they will stop airing such telecasts," the president said at a meeting with media leaders and analysts.

As a result of the gloomy shows by the anti-people channels, markets had gone excessively bearish, claimed Karzai, who said businessmen asked him daily as to what the future held in store for them.

"Criticize the government, but boost the nation. Warn the administration, but don't tell the people that they are going to face another bout of war," he told media representatives.

Referring to media reports about security and economic problems after the 2014 withdrawal of foreign troops, he remarked damaging the people's spirit was in no way in the national interest and media outlets should refrain from it.

Western media reports about Afghanistan were a propaganda war that was aimed at pressurizing his administration on the one hand and busting the nation's morale on the other, the president alleged.

Another objective of the campaign was to force Afghanistan into signing a security deal that enhanced American interests. "In a big matter, we are faced with inadequate strength."

Following the western media was against Afghans, would not be taken in by the West's propaganda and should work for promoting their interests, he continued.

Optimistic about Afghanistan's future, Karzai believed that the country would not plunge into crisis after the withdrawal of NATO-led troops.

"We should rebuild our homeland with our own strength, without relying on others," he said, alleging the foreigners had come to the Afghanistan to achieve their own goals, not to eliminate terrorism. "We have no problems with their goals that don't torture us." (Pajhwok)