ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top diplomat at the United Nations urged the world body on Wednesday to demand that Afghanistan’s interim administration sever ties with a banned militant network targeting Pakistani nationals and security forces, and to halt all cross-border attacks.
Ambassador Munir Akram addressed the issue during a briefing to the UN Security Council (UNSC) on the situation in Afghanistan in the wake of the withdrawal of international forces from the neighboring state more than two years ago.
Pakistan has experienced an increase in militant violence, including deadly suicide bombings that have claimed hundreds of lives, which it attributes to the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), whose leaders are believed to be in hiding in Afghan frontier regions.
Last year, Pakistan’s caretaker government said it had forcefully communicated to the Kabul administration to decide between supporting them or the TTP leaders, who are reported to have sworn allegiance to the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan. Additionally, Pakistan initiated a deportation campaign against illegal immigrants, predominantly Afghan nationals, citing security concerns.
Addressing the UNSC members, Akram highlighted the “failure” of the Afghan Interim Government (AIG) to control the TTP and other militant networks, pointing out that it implied the Kabul government was not in full control of its territory which it asserted to secure international recognition.
“I am confident that this Council will join Pakistan in demanding that the AIG terminates its relationship with the TTP and its affiliates and prevents them from having free rein to conduct cross border attacks against Pakistan or other neighbors,” he said.
“Left unchecked, the TTP, supported by Al-Qaeda and some State sponsors, could soon pose a global terrorist threat,” he added.
Akram also raised Pakistan’s concern that TTP militants had been using advanced military equipment, including sophisticated assault rifles and night-vision devices, which originally belonged to the international forces operating in Afghanistan before their 2021 withdrawal.
“The United Nations should undertake an investigation to find out how the TTP has acquired advanced military equipment and weaponry and to identify the sources of the TTP’s financing, which is helping sustain its 50,000 fighters and their dependents and its terrorist operations,” he continued.
Pakistani officials have maintained in the past that the military equipment was left behind by the international forces in the wake of their chaotic pullout that was widely criticized internationally.
However, the United States rebutted the claim, saying its troops left these weapons with the Afghan National Army which later melted away ahead of the Taliban takeover of Kabul.
The Pakistani diplomat also said the international community should revive Afghanistan’s financial system to help its people who were facing a tough economic situation.
