Afghan territory will not be used against any neighbour: Taliban envoy

ISLAMABAD: The Afghan Taliban Friday marked the fourth anniversary of their return to power with a high-profile event at a local hotel.

Sardar Shakeeb, the newly designated Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan, made his first public appearance since Islamabad formally upgraded his status from chargé d’affaires.

The ceremony brought together diplomats from China, Russia, Malaysia, the United Nations, and several other countries, along with journalists and prominent Pakistani political figures.

Notable attendees included Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, opposition leaders Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Asad Qaiser, provincial government spokesperson Barrister Saif, former federal minister Mohammad Ali Durrani, and others.

Speaking at the event, Kundi said Pakistan sought friendly relations with Afghanistan and believed a peaceful Afghanistan was essential for a peaceful and stable Pakistan. In his remarks, Ambassador Shakeeb reaffirmed Kabul’s commitment to a policy of non-interference, pledging that the Afghan territory would not be used against any neighbor. He stressed Afghanistan’s opposition to terrorism and appealed for respectful, voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees. Shakeeb noted that in the past four years, about four million Afghan refugees had returned from Pakistan and Iran, with the Islamic Emirate providing support within its means.

The evening concluded with a lavish dinner, offering a setting for informal diplomatic exchanges, a symbolic gesture underscoring a new phase in Pak-Afghan relations under the Taliban administration.