Kabul, April 16: President Hamid Karzai, the President of Afghanistan, today invited Indian universities to set-up off-site campuses in the country.In a one hour interaction with Vice-Chancellor of Jammu University, Professor Amitabh Mattoo, the Afghan President said he deeply values the contribution made by India in the reconstruction of the country.Afghanistan President hoped that there would be more investment in education. President Karzai, himself, studied in Himachal Pradesh University. President Karzai greeted Professor Mattoo by saying that a job of Vice-Chancellor is better than being a President since the Vice-Chancellorship is deeply respected and Universities play a great role in building a society and a nation.During meeting with Professor Amitabh Mattoo, President Karzai also recalled the historical Afghan linkages with Jammu and Kashmir and invited the Zaimay Rasool, the National security Advisor, to meet Professor Mattoo.
Mr Rasool’s great grandfather was the last Afgan governor in Jammu and Kashmir.Profesor Mattoo is a member of the Board of Directors of the India-Afganistan Foundation, and the President hoped that the Foundation will play a great role in cementing ties between the people of the two countries, especially in the educational sector.
Professor Mattoo is on a three day visit to Kabul and he has, apart from his meeting with President Karzai and other important Afghan leaders, lectured at the Centre for Regional Studies and the University of Kargil.Professor Mattoo’s detailed conversation with President Karzai will be published in India in Global Affairs, a new journal on foreign policy published by the Sakaal Group.