KABUL: The Afghan Head of State and President Mohammad Daud Khan wants Pakistan to prosper, and to have friendly relations with that country. During his talks with visiting Indian Prime Minister Mrs Indira Gandhi, he said he appreciated the humanitarian gesture made by Pakistan when Afghanistan recently suffered an earthquake and floods. President Daud said the discussion with Mr Bhutto covered many political problems and took place in an atmosphere of friendliness… . — News agencies

[As per a related report from Islamabad,] [Mrs Gandhi], now on a visit to Kabul, said … that India wanted it to be … understood that friendship with one country cannot be at the cost of friendship with another. [She] was speaking at a banquet given in her honour by [President Daud].

According to All-India Radio … Mrs Gandhi said the spirit behind the recent initiatives taken by India to improve relations with her neighbours [was to] remove misunderstandings and create conditions for greater cultural exchange and economic cooperation. She said Afghanistan and India believed in peaceful co-existence… .

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2026