As part of its commitment to contribute to the development of the region, India on Thursday handed over the strategic Delaram-Zaranj highway built by it to Afghanistan. The 215 km stretch of road cost India nearly 85 million and the lives of several construction workers employed under the project.
The project was often targeted by the Taliban, who are naturally opposed to the camaraderie between Afghanistan’s pro-western government and the regional power.
Several Indian workers were killed at the hands of the Taliban before the completion of the project.
The highway was formally handed over to the Afghan authorities by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the presence of Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta.
At a function marking the occasion Mukherjee said: “The completion of the road reflects the determination of both India and Afghanistan that nothing can prevent or hinder collaboration between the two countries.”
Heralding the completion of the road, which threw open an alternate route between Kabul and Iran, Karazzai said despite opposition the cooperation between Kabul and New Delhi would not stop.
The highway provides India easy and alternate access for its goods to Afghanistan via Iran.
This is significant because Pakistan has been denying transit facility to India for Afghanistan through its territory.
Opposed to the project, Taliban repeatedly attacked construction workers responsible for building the highway.
A total of six Indians, including a Border Roads Organisation driver and four ITBP soldiers, and 129 Afghans were killed in the attacks.
While recounting the huge human costs incurred by the project Mukherjee said: “Our project personnel did face many challenges in the implementation of the project... in effect one human sacrifice was made for every kilometre and a half constructed.”
He, however, dubbed the successful completion as “a glowing example” of the India-Afghanistan cooperation.
The highway is considered to be symbolic of a diplomatic constellation that hovers over the horizon with the West-backed government in Afghanistan and New Delhi playing a crucial role to weed out terror from the south Asian region.
US President Barack Obama, days into the office, has made it amply clear that the anti-terror focus of his “war on terror” would b bordered by Pakistan’s restive NWFP and Iran while the epicenter would lie somewhere in Afghanistan.
Paying homage to those that made the “supreme sacrifice” along the course of the project Mukherjee implied grater connotations saying: “I do believe that their blood was not shed in vain. Their sacrifice will fortify the foundation of India-Afghanistan friendship and that spirit will motivate us to usher in our future cooperation.”
The project will allow India and Afghanistan access to eachother’s markets without having to route goods via Pakistan.
It took nearly 340 engineers of the Indian Border Roads Organisation nearly three years to complete the project six months ahead of schedule.
On Wednesday, Mukherjee, Karzai and Spanta met for parleys over discussed cooperation in the field of security and developmental projects.
Following the talks Minister Spanta, in a veiled reference to Pakistan, said: both countries faced “same terrorism from the same source.”
The project was often targeted by the Taliban, who are naturally opposed to the camaraderie between Afghanistan’s pro-western government and the regional power.
Several Indian workers were killed at the hands of the Taliban before the completion of the project.
The highway was formally handed over to the Afghan authorities by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the presence of Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta.
At a function marking the occasion Mukherjee said: “The completion of the road reflects the determination of both India and Afghanistan that nothing can prevent or hinder collaboration between the two countries.”
Heralding the completion of the road, which threw open an alternate route between Kabul and Iran, Karazzai said despite opposition the cooperation between Kabul and New Delhi would not stop.
The highway provides India easy and alternate access for its goods to Afghanistan via Iran.
This is significant because Pakistan has been denying transit facility to India for Afghanistan through its territory.
Opposed to the project, Taliban repeatedly attacked construction workers responsible for building the highway.
A total of six Indians, including a Border Roads Organisation driver and four ITBP soldiers, and 129 Afghans were killed in the attacks.
While recounting the huge human costs incurred by the project Mukherjee said: “Our project personnel did face many challenges in the implementation of the project... in effect one human sacrifice was made for every kilometre and a half constructed.”
He, however, dubbed the successful completion as “a glowing example” of the India-Afghanistan cooperation.
The highway is considered to be symbolic of a diplomatic constellation that hovers over the horizon with the West-backed government in Afghanistan and New Delhi playing a crucial role to weed out terror from the south Asian region.
US President Barack Obama, days into the office, has made it amply clear that the anti-terror focus of his “war on terror” would b bordered by Pakistan’s restive NWFP and Iran while the epicenter would lie somewhere in Afghanistan.
Paying homage to those that made the “supreme sacrifice” along the course of the project Mukherjee implied grater connotations saying: “I do believe that their blood was not shed in vain. Their sacrifice will fortify the foundation of India-Afghanistan friendship and that spirit will motivate us to usher in our future cooperation.”
The project will allow India and Afghanistan access to eachother’s markets without having to route goods via Pakistan.
It took nearly 340 engineers of the Indian Border Roads Organisation nearly three years to complete the project six months ahead of schedule.
On Wednesday, Mukherjee, Karzai and Spanta met for parleys over discussed cooperation in the field of security and developmental projects.
Following the talks Minister Spanta, in a veiled reference to Pakistan, said: both countries faced “same terrorism from the same source.”
No comments:
Post a Comment