Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States on Wednesday voiced deep concern over the misuse of U.S. military equipment left behind in Afghanistan, saying the weapons are being used by militant groups to carry out attacks inside Pakistan and threaten regional stability.
Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh raised the issue during a meeting with Rep. Brian Mast, chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee. The two discussed regional security, bilateral relations and prospects for future cooperation.
Sheikh said militancy emanating from Afghanistan poses a serious challenge not only to Pakistan’s security but also to regional and international peace. He told Mast that terrorist attacks in Pakistan increased by 40% in 2024 and rose a further 25% in 2025, attributing the surge to militant groups operating from Afghan territory.
The Ambassador expressed “serious concern” over what he described as the continued aggressive and unlawful use of U.S. weapons abandoned during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Sheikh invited Mast to visit Pakistan, saying such a trip would help strengthen parliamentary and people-to-people ties between the two countries.
He thanked Mast for his leadership and support in advancing Pakistan-U.S. relations and referred to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s stated commitment to transforming bilateral ties into a long-term, sustainable partnership focused on economic cooperation. Sheikh suggested declaring 2026 a “year of action” for the relationship.
The Ambassador also called for the early launch of a high-level economic dialogue, stressing the importance of engagement in energy, defense, minerals, information technology and artificial intelligence. He said Pakistan’s low-cost, high-quality production capacity could help meet growing demands in the U.S. market.
Sheikh highlighted Pakistan’s globally recognized surgical instruments industry and said a favorable trade environment could boost exports, including textiles. He also cited the use of footballs made in Sialkot in the past five FIFA World Cup tournaments as evidence of Pakistan’s strength in sporting goods manufacturing.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening Pakistan-U.S. relations in economic, security and other key areas. –Agencies
