Senior Pakistani diplomat Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad told the UN Security Council that Pakistan faces a severe threat from Afghan terrorism. A UN-designated terrorist organisation with 6,000 combatants, Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), runs openly from border areas near Pakistan. He further added that these havens directly undermine Pakistan’s security.
He spoke at the UN during a debate on Afghanistan’s circumstances, where he said that further regional unrest could result from Israeli strikes on Iran. “A refugee migration into nearby countries, including Afghanistan and Pakistan, might present major new difficulties,” he said.
He noted that ungoverned Afghan land is being employed by terrorist organisations, including AlQaeda, the TTP, and Baloch rebels for assaults. These locations let them design strategies directed at Pakistan. He said that this continuous presence presents a risk that has to be addressed seriously.
Pakistan has acquired several contemporary weapons from these organisations. These arms were originally left behind by foreign troops after the fall of Kabul four years ago, and according to Ambassador Asim, they reveal the long-term effects of that exit.
April saw an illustration of a major threat. Pakistani security forces killed 54 TTP militants attempting to penetrate Pakistan during that month. This event emphasises the extent of the threat from across the border, he observed.
He added, “We also have trustworthy evidence of cooperation between the TTP and other groups, namely the BLA and its Majeed Brigade.” These groups are collaborating to focus on plans for economic growth and strategic infrastructure. They aim to internally destabilise Pakistan.
Ambassador Asim noted that internal issues in Afghanistan are spreading into nearby countries. Since August 2021, Pakistan has seen an additional one million undocumented Afghan migrants.
Several regions have seen law-and-order issues arise from this population expansion. He begged the international community to help Pakistan bear this load.
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