United Nations: Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Asim Iftikhar Ahmad has said that terrorism emanating from Afghanistan poses a grave threat not only to neighbouring countries but also to the wider region and beyond.
Addressing a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Afghanistan, the ambassador said certain elements within the Taliban regime had chosen the path of complicity and active support for terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory.
He said that organisations including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Balochistan Liberation Army, Islamic State – Khorasan Province, Al-Qaeda and East Turkestan Islamic Movement were using safe havens in Afghanistan to carry out cross-border infiltration, violent attacks and suicide bombings.
Ambassador Ahmad said Pakistan, as an immediate neighbour, had consistently facilitated dialogue and engagement with the Afghan authorities to help promote peace and stability in Afghanistan.
He said Pakistan had presented various initiatives, provided humanitarian assistance, offered bilateral trade incentives, eased visa policies and participated in regional platforms to help Afghanistan integrate economically with the region.
However, he said that the Taliban authorities had failed to meet the international community’s expectations under the Doha Process, particularly in the areas of counter-terrorism, human rights and inclusive governance.
The ambassador noted that Pakistan had witnessed a surge in terrorist attacks planned and orchestrated from Afghan soil since the Taliban takeover. He said thousands of Pakistanis had lost their lives in terrorism-related incidents, including more than 175 people killed last month in multiple attacks, among them three suicide bombings.
Referring to Pakistan’s response, he said the country had exercised restraint but conducted intelligence-based operations on February 21–22 targeting seven terrorist camps and hideouts belonging to the TTP and its affiliates as well as ISIL-K in border areas.
He said that on February 26 the Taliban initiated hostilities against Pakistan at several border locations through unprovoked firing and shelling of military posts, prompting Pakistan to take retaliatory measures against hostile targets and logistical bases used by terrorist groups in exercise of its right to self-defence.
Ambassador Ahmad said Pakistan’s actions were proportionate and carefully planned, and were directed solely against identified terrorist camps and support infrastructure.
He reaffirmed that Pakistan would continue defensive measures to protect its citizens, territory and sovereignty, adding that counter-terrorism operations would continue until the capabilities of terrorist groups were significantly degraded.
The ambassador also highlighted the humanitarian and socio-economic challenges facing Afghanistan, saying ordinary Afghans were suffering due to restrictions imposed by the Taliban, economic difficulties, declining foreign aid, poverty and human rights concerns.
He stressed the need for continued international engagement with Afghanistan through the UN-led Doha Process and called for a comprehensive roadmap to address the country’s multiple challenges.
Ambassador Ahmad said Pakistan desired peace and stability in Afghanistan and had suffered greatly from decades of conflict in the neighbouring country. He urged the Taliban authorities to ensure that Afghan territory was not used for terrorism against neighbouring states and to take concrete steps to deny space to terrorist groups.