NEW DELHI, Dec 5: India has told Afghanistan to be wary of “terrorism” originating in Pakistan, an official Indian statement from Kabul said on Monday. It quoted Indian Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed as telling a three-day Regional Economic Cooperation Conference in Kabul that began on Saturday to be watchful of borders with Afghanistan, effectively targeting Pakistan.

“The problem posed by narcotics, terrorism and insecurity in certain regions in the south and the south-eastern parts of Afghanistan not only undermine the security of Afghanistan but also hinders prospects for economic development,” Mr Ahamed said in Kabul on Sunday.

“Dealing with such challenges is a collective responsibility of all the countries of the region and those that are interested in ensuring the long-term stability of Afghanistan as a plural society,” he said.

Raising concerns about the lack of a direct Indian land route to Afghanistan, Mr Ahamed said the land-locked country posed important challenges.

The development of the transport sector and its regional linkages become lifelines for the country’s economy.

Mr Ahamed said India was fully committed to working with Afghanistan to re-build their country after the devastation “caused by three decades of conflict.”