Independence Day: Karzai, Abdullah stress national unity — Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): Former President Hamid Karzai and former chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah have marked Afghanistan’s 107th Independence Day by honoring the sacrifices of Afghans and stressing national unity and solidarity. The First Anglo-Afghan War was fought from 1839 to 1842, followed by the Second Anglo-Afghan War from 1878 to 1880. The Third Anglo-Afghan War began on May 6, 1919 and ended in August the same year, resulting in the restoration of Afghanistan’s independence. Today, Wednesday (August 19), marks the 107th anniversary of Afghanistan’s independence from Britain. On this day, King Amanullah Khan declared the country’s independence. In a message marking the occasion, Karzai praised the sacrifices of those who fought for Afghanistan’s freedom. “Although achieving independence and enduring the hardships of the struggle for it are valuable and a source of honour and pride for our nation, preserving independence and benefiting from it are possible only when our beloved Afghanistan is a strong and self-reliant country,” he said. Karzai said a country’s strength depends on lasting peace and stability, national unity and a young generation equipped with education and knowledge. In a post on X, he said a skilled workforce could be developed only when educational opportunities were provided to all Afghan children, both girls and boys. He added that unity and solidarity could…