January 6, 2002	Sunday	Shawwal 21, 1422

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PESHAWAR, Jan 5: A Hezb-i-Islami commander on Friday pledged his allegiance to the new interim government of chairman Hamid Karzai and called for elections within the stipulated two years time to pull Afghanistan out of its present problems.

Haji Kashmir Khan, head of Hezb-i-Islami’s organizational matters and a close lieutenant of its Amir Engr. Gulbadin Hikmatyar, drove into Asadbad, capital of Afghanistan’s eastern Kunar province, with thousands of his supporters to announce his support to the Karzai government.

Haji Kashmir Khan, who had been fighting the Taliban from his native mountain base in Shegal in Kunar, told a ceremony that he had full confidence in the interim government and said that the situation in Afghanistan warranted full national integrity and cohesion.

He condemned the Sept 11 terrorist strikes in Washington and New York and said that Islam was a religion of peace and abhorred such dastardly and contemptuous acts. He said that several mujahideen leaders including commander Ahmad Shah Masood, Sheikh Jamilur Rehman, Engr. Faiz Muhammad, Fazl-i-Haq Mujahid, Ustad Wahidi and others had fallen victims to similar terrorist acts.

He demanded of the interim government to take steps for the enforcement of Shariah (Islamic law), reconstruction of Afghanistan and improve relations with neighbouring countries.

Earlier, on his arrival, Kashmir Khan was given a rousing welcome by the local authorities. Prominent among those who received the Hezb-i-Islami commander were Haji Roohullah, Maulvi Muhammad Hassan and Haji Naqib.

They paid glowing tributes to Haji Kashmir Khan for his struggle during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and the Taliban.