Afghan government credible, legitimate: Karzai

Facing flak from almost all quarters that his administration is riddled with corruption, Afghan President Hamid Karzai has asserted that his government is credible and legitimate, but lacks resources.

'I disagree with that completely,' Karzai told the CNN International in an interview when he was referred to a statement by NATO commander General Stanley McChrystal that the Karzai government is so riddled with corruption that it is as dangerous as the insurgency to the stability of Afghanistan.

'The Afghan government is credible and legitimate. It's a government that lacks resources. It's a government that lacks capacity,' Karzai said.

Karzai is leading the results of the presidential elections held on August 20, amidst reports of widespread voters fraud and rigging. He said all such complaints needed to be thoroughly investigated.

However, Karzai said he would oppose any deliberate political move to go in for second round of election, except for the fact that there is a genuine reason for it in which none of the presidential candidates receive more than 50 per cent of the total votes polled.

"If there is fraud committed by any side in the election, of course, that will be a very serious issue. I would very much want that investigated. But if there is a political desire to take the election to the second round, of course that's not acceptable," he said.