Want to serve Afghanistan from within: Former Afghan Ambassador Abdali on resignation

New Delhi [India], Sep 20 (ANI): Former Afghan Ambassador to India Shaida Abdali who resigned from his post on Wednesday said that he now intends to serve his country from within.

"I have done my bit by being outside Afghanistan but it is time to serve it from within due to the current situation in Afghanistan. My first goal is to work for peace and national unity of my country. I found India very close to my heart. I received love and warmth that is unforgettable," said Abdali.

While talking to ANI about his resignation at the time Afghan President Ashraf Ghani is in India, Abdali said that he had already made up his mind about resigning and the decision had nothing to do with Ghani's visit.

"I decided sometime back. I postponed decision due to the visit for the sake of the relationship between the two countries. I wanted the last visit to be a success, which it later turned out to be too," the former Afghan envoy revealed.

When quizzed about his plans post resignation, Abdali said, "My priority is to bring peace to my nation and make efforts for the same. I would like to define it as the service to my nation."

Talking about his tenure in India, the former ambassador thanked the people of the country for the warmth and hospitality.

"It is a home away from home. It remains close to my heart," said Abdali.

When asked about his experience in India, the former envoy narrated stories from his tenure.

"I met a Pashtun boy during my visit to Kashmir. When I asked him if he was from Afghanistan, he said that he was a Kashmiri. He took me to his village, where Pashtun people have been living for more than 100 years. This reflects the long relationship shared by the two nations," he said.

Abdali spent six years in India and thanking the people of the nation he sent out a message in Hindi.

"India ko bilkul miss karunga. India me bhaut kuch seekha, India me jo muhabbat jo mujhe mili hai ye kabhi bhi mujhse bhula nahi jaega. Bahut bahut meherbaani Indian logo ki jo mujhe aisi feeling diya hai jaisi mai apne ghar mne hota tha. Toh mai inshallah ye contact Indian logo se rakhunga. Aur ye dosti aur bhi badhaiye," he said.

(I will miss India. I have learnt a lot in India. I got a lot of from this country and I shall never forget that. I am very grateful to people of India for giving me a home away from home. I will keep in touch with people in India and pray for the lasting friendship between the two nations.)

Talking about Indo-Pak relations, Abdali said that we need to cooperate in order to build a good neighbourhood. "We very much hope that new government in Pakistan under the leadership of Imran Khan, who pledged to introduce the New Pakistan "Naya Pakistan" would mean a new Pakistan," the envoy added.