Thousands of people including both vice-presidents, cabinet members, Parliament speakers and MPs, the judiciary, Marshall Fahim, army and police officials, foreigners, ambassadors as well as members of corps diplomatic in Kabul attended the National Day.

President Karzai congratulated the nation on the 88th anniversary of Independence, which he said was made possible by devotion and strong determination of home-loving people and youths of this country. The President continued, “People from every nook and corner of the country, from homes and villages joined hands and rescued their country from foreign occupation.”

President Karzai praised the devotion and efforts made by Ghazi Amanullah Khan, Ghazi Mohammad Nader Khan, Mahmood Tarzi, intellectuals and religious and tribal leaders as well as the youth for the liberation and independence of their country. However, unfortunately he added, secret and hidden hands later hampered our country’s progress and eventually led to the fall of Amanullah Khan’s reign.

After the Holy Jihad that liberated Afghanistan by forcing out the Russians, results of our Jihad due to hostile plots and intentions were perished leading the country into the abyss of another hidden occupation by the Taliban and their foreign Al-Qaeda associates.

The people once again with help and support by the international community liberated their land. The President however, added “Afghanistan is still threatened by enemies.”

Pointing at the terrorist attacks ahead of Independence Day, the President said, the enemies of the people of Afghanistan try to kill women, children and innocent people only to serve their own malign objectives. Afghans today have realized the realities and fully understand the objectives and means the enemies use against their land.

“Gaining independence is one issue and preserving it is another”, the President called upon the young Afghans not to fall for plots and conspiracies of the enemies, but to educate themselves to preserve their freedom.

``Again our land is under attack from our enemies,'' President Karzai said, ``they want to stop the development of Afghanistan.''

``Without education, technology and science we will be under the attack of the foreigners,'' Karzai said. ``For an independent Afghanistan, our youths have to get education.''