Former Afghan leader urges sanctions on Pakistan officials

KABUL, Afghanistan – Afghanistan's former president has lashed out at both the United States and Pakistan, accusing them of using the Afghan war to further their own interests and calling on Washington to sanction Pakistani military and intelligence officials.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, Hamid Karzai said his country is in "terrible shape" 16 years after the U.S.-led invasion that toppled the Taliban.

He said Washington wants to establish permanent bases in Afghanistan to better control the region, while Pakistan wants to turn Afghanistan into a client state.

Afghanistan has long accused Pakistan of harboring militants, saying it is partly to blame for a wave of attacks in recent weeks that killed scores of people. Pakistan denies the allegations, blaming the Afghan government for failing to secure the country.