Pakistan told the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that terrorism emanating from Afghanistan remains the gravest threat to its national security. Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN, urged the Taliban to fulfil counterterrorism obligations and stop providing sanctuaries to groups targeting Pakistan.
The envoy said the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), with nearly 6,000 fighters, remains the largest UN-designated terrorist group in Afghanistan. He revealed that Pakistan had foiled several infiltration attempts by TTP and Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) militants, seizing advanced weapons left behind by international forces, mostly US military equipment.
“These efforts come at a heavy cost,” he noted, citing the recent martyrdom of 12 Pakistani soldiers. He described the situation as intolerable, pointing to over 60 terrorist camps inside Afghanistan where groups including ISIL-K, Al-Qaeda, TTP, and the BLA operate, train, and coordinate attacks.
Ambassador Asim called for the UN to designate the BLA and its Majeed Brigade under the 1267 Sanctions Committee, noting that the US already lists them as terrorist organisations. He stressed that the Taliban sanctions regime must not fall victim to political divisions among UNSC members and underlined the importance of travel exemptions to ensure engagement.
Highlighting regional diplomacy, he referred to the recent quadrilateral meeting in Dushanbe with China, Iran, and Russia, where a consensus was reached on practical engagement with Kabul. He emphasised dialogue, reciprocal steps, and a roadmap for stability while warning that isolation and disengagement would harm all sides.
On humanitarian grounds, Pakistan’s envoy said his country has hosted Afghan refugees for decades, recently facilitating dignified repatriations alongside a liberal visa regime for Afghans with family, education, and business needs. However, he stressed that the international community must share this burden fairly and fulfil resettlement pledges that remain unkept.
Ambassador Asim also condemned the Taliban’s restrictions on Afghan women and girls, saying such policies contradict Islamic traditions. He said Pakistan remains committed to supporting a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan, stressing that no country has suffered more from Afghanistan’s conflicts than Pakistan.
The UN’s outgoing envoy, Roza Otunbayeva, meanwhile, warned that Afghanistan faces “a perfect storm” of crises, including humanitarian collapse, economic decline, and human rights abuses. She highlighted the closure of girls’ schools beyond grade six, which the World Bank estimates costs Afghanistan’s economy $1.4 billion annually.
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