India and Iran no longer see IEA as under Pakistan’s influence: Shaheen

Suhail Shaheen, head of the Islamic Emirate’s political office in Doha, has claimed that both India and Iran have revised their long-held assumptions that the Islamic Emirate operate under Pakistan’s influence.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Shaheen described this shift as a “realistic and pragmatic approach, which is good for everyone.”

He also said the IEA is a “reality of today’s Afghanistan” as it “controls all territory and borders of the country”.

“The regional countries know this fact and, as such, they engage with the Islamic Emirate at various levels, which is a pragmatic and rational approach in my view,” he said.

While formal recognition of the IEA government remains elusive, Shaheen insisted that regional dialogue represents a critical first step. “It is through engagement that we can find solutions to issues,” he said.

Shaheen said while Kabul wanted good relations with Islamabad, they should be “reciprocated” and that a “blame game” is not in anyone’s interest.

“We have taken practical steps as far as it concerns us,” he said, noting that Afghanistan had started building checkpoints “along the line adjacent to Pakistan in order to prevent any one from crossing”.

“However, their internal security is the responsibility of their security forces not ours,” he said.