NEW YORK: Pakistan has voiced serious concern over the continued threat of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan, urging the international community to take urgent and unified action to prevent the country from becoming a safe haven for terrorist groups.
In a statement delivered at the United Nations General Assembly plenary session on the situation in Afghanistan, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, stressed that terrorism from Afghan soil poses a grave threat to regional stability, particularly to Pakistan.
“The TTP, with around 6,000 fighters, is the largest UN-designated terrorist group operating from Afghan territory and directly threatens Pakistan’s national security,” the ambassador warned. He added that other groups, including ISIL-K (Daesh), Al-Qaeda, and Baloch militant outfits, continue to exploit ungoverned spaces within Afghanistan to carry out attacks.
Ambassador Ahmad highlighted recent incidents of cross-border infiltration by TTP fighters and the seizure of modern weapons and equipment, originally left behind by international forces in Afghanistan. These weapons, he noted, are being used in increasingly sophisticated attacks inside Pakistan.
“These incidents underscore the scale and seriousness of the threat we face,” he said. “Pakistan will continue to take all possible actions to ensure the safety and security of its people.”
He also cited credible evidence of collaboration between TTP and other groups such as the BLA and Majeed Brigade, with the intent to sabotage strategic infrastructure and economic development projects in Pakistan. Ambassador Ahmad emphasized that Afghanistan must not serve as a launching pad for terrorism against any country, warning that such a scenario would have far-reaching consequences not just for the region, but globally.
Calling for a coordinated international response, he reiterated Pakistan’s support for pragmatic engagement with the Afghan authorities through diplomacy and dialogue. “What could not be achieved through force will not be realized through isolation, sanctions or financial coercion,” he stated.
“We must ensure that Afghanistan does not become a breeding ground for terrorists that threatens not only its neighbors, but the region and beyond. Terrorism emanating from Afghanistan is a serious threat to its neighbors, particularly Pakistan,” he stressed. “We must not abandon Afghanistan. Practical and pragmatic engagement through dialogue and diplomacy is the only way forward. Pakistan has maintained sustained high-level engagement with the de facto authorities. “ He recalled that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, visited Kabul on 19th of April and in May we had a successful trilateral dialogue with Afghanistan and China at the Foreign Minister’s level in Beijing.
We also support regional forums such as the Moscow Format, the Foreign Minister’s meeting of Afghanistan’s neighboring countries and the SCO. Ambassador Ahmad concluded by reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to playing a constructive role in regional and international efforts for a peaceful, stable, and terrorism-free Afghanistan. –Agencies
