ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top diplomat at the United Nations has warned the world of the “terrorist” threat from Afghanistan, according to an official statement released on Thursday, noting that the situation in that country continues to remain unstable three years after the Taliban administration assumed power.
Pakistan has faced a sharp rise in militant violence in recent years and attributed this surge to armed factions allegedly based in Afghanistan. Officials in Islamabad have particularly raised concern over the presence of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a group responsible for carrying out deadly suicide attacks targeting civilians, security forces and Chinese nationals involved in large-scale energy and infrastructure projects.
Last year, Pakistan accused the Afghan government of “facilitating” the TTP, which led to a deportation drive against Afghan immigrants, resulting in the expulsion of over 700,000 of them from the country.
The Afghan authorities deny any involvement in Pakistan’s security problems and have objected to Pakistan’s decision to expel its citizens.
“Given its long association with Al Qaeda, it will not be long before the TTP becomes the spearhead for Al Qaeda’s planned regional and global terrorist goals,” Ambassador Munir Akram told a UN Security Council meeting on the current situation in Afghanistan.
“Thus, while some of our friends may believe that they are only threatened by ISIL-K [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan] i.e. Daesh, they should also be concerned by the threat they could confront from a strengthened TTP in the not too distant future,” he added.
The Pakistani envoy noted the 34th report of the UN monitoring team has highlighted the “disturbing dimension of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan.”
Indicating the TTP’s potential of causing regional destabilization, he said it was fast emerging as an umbrella organization that was now coordinating with Baloch secessionist groups targeting Pakistan’s southwestern province.
“It is clear that Afghanistan is nowhere near normalization three years after the Taliban assumed power,” he added. “There will be no normalization until the fundamental issues that trouble Afghanistan are addressed: terrorism, human rights, political inclusion, illegal Afghan migration and the problem of Afghan refugees.”
Ambassador Akram reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to supporting a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, as he pointed out the necessity of greater political inclusion which he described as vital for enhancing the prospects of stability and normalization within that country.
He also expressed concern the human rights situation in the country, particularly in relation to women and girls.
“Instead of easing earlier restrictions, the Afghan Interim Government has doubled down on misogyny with new edicts to literally stifle the voices of women and girls,” he said. “We are especially appalled that these abhorrent measures are being justified by reference to Islam.”
“These backward and obscurantist measures violate the principles of our enlightened religion which was the first to uphold equal rights for men and women,” he added.
The Pakistani envoy said his country was committed to expanding trade and commercial relations with Afghanistan and remained a key partner in implementing regional infrastructure and connectivity projects to enhance economic stability and growth in the region.
Pakistan warns UN of ‘terrorist’ threat from unstable Afghanistan under Taliban rule
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Pakistan warns UN of ‘terrorist’ threat from unstable Afghanistan under Taliban rule
- Munir Akram says Afghanistan is nowhere near normalization three years after the Taliban assumed power
- He maintains Pakistan wants to expand trade ties with Afghanistan and continue efforts for regional connectivity
Qatar, Pakistan resolve to boost strategic, economic cooperation at Doha talks
- Both countries urge dialogue on Afghanistan amid renewed border tensions between Islamabad and Kabul
- Discussions focus on bilateral trade and investment, energy, defense, manpower and labor and culture
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Qatar on Tuesday agreed to deepen their strategic and economic cooperation during high-level talks between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Sharif’s office said.
Sharif visited Qatar along with a high-level delegation on the invitation of Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The Pakistani premier also held meetings with Qatar’s trade and defense ministers to discuss cooperation in various domains.
The visit came at a time when Pakistan is seeking closer economic engagement with Gulf partners amid its broader push to stabilize the economy and attract investment, while maintaining security and defense cooperation with key regional states.
During their meeting in Doha, PM Sharif and Qatar’s Sheikh Mohammed discussed bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and international developments, according to the Pakistan prime minister’s office.
“They reaffirmed the strong brotherly relations between Pakistan and Qatar and expressed satisfaction at the growing momentum in political, economic and institutional ties,” Sharif’s office said.
“Discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in the fields of trade and investment, energy, defense, manpower and labor and culture, with both sides stressing the importance of their task force to accelerate cooperation in all these areas.”
Pakistan and Qatar maintain strong trade and investment ties. In 2022, the office of Qatar’s emir said the Qatar Investment Authority planned to invest $3 billion in Pakistan, targeting sectors including transport, aviation, education, health, media, technology and labor.
Nearly 300,000 Pakistanis live and work in Qatar, according to Pakistan’s foreign office, with many employed in health, education, engineering and public services, as well as construction and transport. The two countries engage through forums such as the Bilateral Political Consultations and the Joint Ministerial Commission.
Sharif said he had productive discussions with Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on how the two sides could transform their brotherly ties into mutually beneficial economic relationships.
“We also took stock of the regional situation,” he said on X. “Pakistan and Qatar will continue to work together for peace and stability in the region and beyond.”
DIALOGUE WITH AFGHANISTAN
Earlier, Sharif and Qatar’s Deputy PM Sheikh Saoud Al-Thani discussed the situation in Afghanistan and called for dialogue to support regional stability.
The meeting took place amid renewed tensions after Islamabad carried out airstrikes last week on what it described as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) targets inside Afghanistan. Kabul said the strikes killed civilians and vowed to respond to what it called a violation of its sovereignty.
“Regional developments were also discussed, in particular the situation in Iran and Afghanistan,” Sharif’s office said in a statement. “Both sides emphasized the importance of dialogue, de-escalation and collective efforts to promote peace and stability in the region.”
This was the second time in less than six months that Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan. The last strikes triggered heavy, weeklong clashes between the neighbors along their border before Qatar and Turkiye mediated a ceasefire between them in Oct. last year.
Separately, Sharif held meetings with Qatar’s State Minister for Trade Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Sayed and a delegation of the Qatar Businessmen Association (QBA), highlighting Pakistan’s investment-friendly reforms.
He invited QBA members to explore opportunities in infrastructure, logistics, energy, agriculture, technology and export-oriented manufacturing, his office said.
