New Delhi: Voicing concern over the revival of illegal narcotics trade in Afghanistan, Afghan interim President Hamid Karzai, who survived an assassination bid in Kandahar on September 5, has warned that he would be ruthless in the campaign against drug trafficking which goes hand-in-hand with terrorism.

''We will be very, very strongly be working against it. We will be ruthless in our campaign against drugs. It is in direct contradiction to the national interest of Afghanistan and to our religion and values,'' Karzai said in an interview to 'India Today' excerpts of which were released to the media on September 6.

He said ''trafficking in drugs goes hand in hand with terrorism'' and asserted that the key to his government's survival lay in ensuring the speedy progress, stability and peace of the war-ravaged country.

The Afghan leader made it clear that if the interim government in Kabul failed to deliver on its promises ''the people will throw us out and of course anybody, including the Taleban can come back''.

He said the Afghan government was also keen on nabbing international terrorist Osama bin Laden and the spiritual leader of Taleban Mullah Omar who are believed to be still hiding in the mountains of Afghanistan.

''We want to get to Laden and Omar. It is on our agenda. It is an open letter. But it is difficult to hunt individuals in a country like ours that is vast, has too many villages and poor transportation,'' he said.

PTI