Islamabad [Pakistan], August 22 (ANI): The Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad held an online discussion reviewing four years of the Islamic Emirate's rule in Afghanistan, Tolo News reported.

Speaking at the event, Sardar Ahmad Shakib, the Islamic Emirate's ambassador in Islamabad, emphasised the Emirate's balanced and economy-focused foreign policy.

He said, 'In foreign relations, the Islamic Emirate continues to pursue a balanced policy with an emphasis on economic-oriented diplomacy. Afghanistan today is neither dependent on one bloc nor in conflict with another one, but rather seeks relations with all countries on the basis of mutual respect and shared interests,' Tolo News reported.

Meanwhile, Mansoor Ahmad Khan, Pakistan's former ambassador to Kabul, stated that tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan still persist and must be resolved.

He added, 'Pakistan-Afghanistan relationship has, you know, continued to show an interesting pattern. A state-to-state friction has existed between Pakistan and Afghanistan for the last five to six decades. This friction was evident in the 1980s, the 1990s, and from 2001 to 2021, particularly during the US and NATO presence. And even after the Taliban assumed the reins of the state,' Tolo News reported.

Political analyst Najib Rahman Shamal also commented, 'The Pakistani government should reconsider its approach toward Afghanistan, taking into account Afghanistan's circumstances and the Islamic Emirate's past four years of rule, in order to ensure peace in the region,' Tolo News noted.

One of the main issues straining relations has been Islamabad's repeated claims about Afghan soil being used against Pakistan, an issue that, over the past four years, has frequently led to verbal disputes and even armed clashes between the two sides, Tolo News reported.

The discussion underscored that addressing the longstanding tensions and disputes between Afghanistan and Pakistan remains crucial, and both sides must engage in constructive dialogue while considering the Islamic Emirate's past four years of governance to promote stability and peace in the region. (ANI)