Former president Hamid Karzai said the Islamic Emirate needs national legitimacy at home in order to gain recognition by the international community.

In an interview with Voice of America (VOA), Karzai said that national legitimacy should be acquired through elections or by holding a Loya Jirga (a national grand assembly).

Karzai also said the Islamic Emirate should have a constitution to run the country.

“National legitimacy and international recognition are important. Steps should be taken, and the first step should be paving the way for national legitimacy via a Loya Jirga or enforcing the Afghanistan constitution. National legitimacy is acquired either through elections or by holding a Loya Jirga,” he said.

He also said Pakistan should base its relations with Afghanistan on international norms and principles, adding that it cannot represent Afghanistan.

“These days Pakistan speaks in a way as if it represents us. No, Pakistan is not the representative of Afghanistan or its people,” he added.

Zabihullah Mujahid, deputy minister for the Ministry of Information and Culture, meanwhile said the people’s support shows that the Islamic Emirate has gained internal legitimacy.

He said elections and holding Loya Jirgas were failed attempts by the former government to gain international recognition.

“The Islamic Emirate has legitimacy as it has the people’s support. Elections and Loya Jirgas did not bear positive results. The former government practiced both of them, but did not have legitimacy,” he said.

Meanwhile, a number of international relations analysts said holding a Loya Jirga is not practical at the current time and that the world should find alternative ways for engaging with the Islamic Emirate.

“By now no government has recognized the Taliban government and this is bad for the people because the people are living in poverty. The world should engage with the government (Islamic Emirate),” said Ahmad Khan Andar, an international relations analyst.

“In the current bad economic situation, the government cannot hold a Loya Jirga. Other alternatives should be sought for international recognition,” said Khawja Fahim Abbas, a university lecturer.