United Nations, March 10, 2025(Kamran Raja): Pakistan has, yet again, drawn the attention of the international community to the greatest threat to security and stability in Afghanistan and the entire region, and indeed the world from the over 20 terrorist organizations present in Afghanistan.
Pakistan also noted that the Afghan interim government utterly failed to address the threat posed to the region and beyond by Afghanistan-based terrorist outfits such as Al-Qaida, the TTP and Baloch terrorists, including the BLA and the Majeed Brigade.
In a statement during the UN Security Council briefing on Afghanistan today, Ambassador Munir Akram, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said that the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which is perceived as enjoying Kabul’s patronage, is fast emerging as an umbrella organization for regional terrorist groups, whose objectives, he said, are to undermine the security and stability of all of Afghanistan’s neighbors.
“Given its long association with Al-Qaeda, the TTP could pose not only a regional but also a global terrorist threat,” the Pakistan UN ambassador emphasized.
Ambassador Akram said that the TTP, with 6000 fighters, is the largest, designated terrorist organization operating from Afghanistan. He said that with safe havens close to our border, the TTP has conducted numerous attacks against Pakistan’s soldiers, civilians and institutions resulting in hundreds of casualties.
“We have evidence that the Kabul authorities have not only tolerated but are also complicit in the conduct of the TTP’s terrorist cross-border attacks,” he stressed.
Ambassador Akram further noted that the TTP is collaborating with other terrorist groups present in Afghanistan, like the BLA and the Majeed Brigade, which seek to destabilize Pakistan and disrupt our economic cooperation with China, especially the CPEC, through their terrorist campaign.
The TTP also receives external support and financing from our principal adversary, he said.
The Pakistan UN envoy expressed his surprise at the Secretary-General’s report, entitled “the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security,” which failed to cover the issue of terrorism.
He said that we are offered the bureaucratic explanation that UNAMA’s mandate does not cover counter-terrorism, which we are told is the mandate of the Office of Counter-Terrorism (OCT). He explained that the OCT’s work program includes CT efforts relating to Central Asia and Afghanistan; but not Pakistan – which is facing daily terrorist attacks – or Iran, China or Russia.
“Nor has the 1988 Taliban Committee, or the 1373 CT Committee, been activated so far to address the terrorist threat in and from Afghanistan. Pakistan will initiate consultations on the creation of an appropriate mechanism to address this issue, including a Working Group on CT within the Doha process,” he announced.
Ambassador Munir Akram stated that Pakistan will continue to take all necessary measures to eliminate the terrorist threats to our national security in accordance with our right to self-defense under international law and in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the Security Council.
He said that the Declaration of the Ministerial Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of China, Iran, Pakistan and the Russian Federation on 27 September 2024 was a welcome affirmation of the regional consensus to eliminate the terrorist threat from Afghanistan. He said that we remain committed to cooperating with our regional and international partners to effectively combat the menace of terrorism, which threatens so many countries in Asia, Africa and elsewhere today.
Ambassador Akram informed the Security Council that in the process of countering the TTP’s cross border operations, the Pakistan security and border forces have confiscated some of the modern weapons acquired by the Afghan authorities from stocks left behind by foreign forces. He said that the AIG has the responsibility to retrieve these weapons from the terrorist groups.
The Pakistan UN Ambassador pointed out the long-standing challenges stemming from Afghanistan’s crises over the past 40 years, and highlighted Pakistan’s role in hosting millions of Afghan refugees, countering extremist threats, and facilitating peace efforts, including the safe evacuation of NATO personnel and Afghan nationals following the 2021 withdrawal of foreign forces.
Emphasizing the dire humanitarian situation, Ambassador Munir Akram called for unconditional and generous assistance to over 20 million Afghans in need. He expressed concern over the underfunding of the UN’s Strategic Framework for Afghanistan, which has received only 11% of the required $2.53 billion for 2025. He also stressed that allowing Afghan suffering contradicts global commitments to human rights.
On economic recovery, Ambassador Munir Akram supported unfreezing Afghanistan’s central bank assets to stabilize the banking sector and prevent illicit financial flows. He also urged Afghanistan to address cross-border terrorism and illegal trade to enhance bilateral economic cooperation.
Highlighting major regional projects such as the TAPI gas pipeline, CASA-1000 electricity grid, and the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway, Ambassador Akram reaffirmed his country’s commitment to fostering economic growth and connectivity in the region.
Ambassador Munir Akram stated that Pakistan has successfully foiled attempts by ISIL-K terrorists to infiltrate from Afghanistan, preventing the group’s external operations from taking root in the country. He said that as underlined by the 35th report of the UN Al-Qaida and Daesh Monitoring Team, Pakistani authorities detained several high-profile operatives linked to major attacks, including Muhammad Sharifullah, an Afghan involved in the Abbey Gate bombing during the 2021 U.S. evacuation from Afghanistan.
He also expressed the need for early normalization in Afghanistan and emphasized a comprehensive approach under the Doha Process. While welcoming its progress, he urged the inclusion of counterterrorism, human rights, and inclusive governance, as outlined in the 2023 independent assessment by Ambassador Feridun Sinirlioğlu.
Supporting the proposal of a reciprocal “roadmap”, Pakistan called for mutual commitments from the Afghan Interim Government (AIG) and the international community on political inclusion, economic revival, and sanctions relief, aligning with the UNAMA “mosaic” approach to ensure long-term stability.