Mumtaz Hussain
UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan has warned the international community that Afghanistan has become a sanctuary for terrorist groups and poses a serious threat to regional and global security.
Speaking at a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the situation in Afghanistan, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said it has been more than four years since the Taliban came to power and expectations that they would evolve into a responsible governing entity have not been fulfilled.
He said Pakistan, as Afghanistan’s immediate neighbor, made consistent efforts to engage with the Taliban authorities to promote peace and stability. According to the ambassador, Pakistan facilitated dialogue and engagement with the Taliban leadership, including a series of high-level visits to Kabul last year. He said Pakistan also presented initiatives aimed at strengthening cooperation, assisted in humanitarian relief efforts, offered bilateral trade incentives, liberalized visa regimes and transit concessions, and participated in regional platforms to help Afghanistan integrate with the region and beyond.
Ambassador Ahmad recalled that the international community had also extended engagement through the Doha-III process, expecting the Taliban to deliver on three key international demands: counter-terrorism, protection of human rights, and the establishment of inclusive governance. However, he said the Taliban have failed to deliver on all three counts.
The Pakistani envoy said Afghanistan today serves as a sanctuary for terrorist groups and proxies, a situation that has been acknowledged by global assessments including United Nations reports and the UN Monitoring Team. He warned that the presence of these groups has destabilized the region and created serious security challenges for Afghanistan’s neighbors, particularly Pakistan.
He stated that terrorist entities including Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its Majeed Brigade, ISIL-K, Al-Qaeda, and ETIM are operating from Afghan territory and launching cross-border infiltration, violent attacks, and suicide bombings.
According to Ambassador Ahmad, elements within the Taliban regime have chosen the path of complicity and active support for these groups. He further alleged that Pakistan’s eastern neighbor is providing logistical support and financing in order to wage a proxy war against Pakistan.
The ambassador said Pakistan has witnessed a surge in terrorist attacks planned and orchestrated from Afghan soil under the Taliban regime’s watch. He said thousands of Pakistanis have lost their lives to terrorism since the Taliban takeover, including more than 175 innocent people killed last month in three suicide attacks.
He warned that the spillover effects of terrorism originating in Afghanistan will not remain confined to Pakistan.
Ambassador Ahmad said Pakistan has consistently prioritized dialogue and made numerous diplomatic efforts to address its concerns with the Taliban. He noted that recent mediation efforts facilitated by Qatar, Turkiye, and Saudi Arabia also failed to produce the desired results.
He said the Taliban leadership has refused to publicly denounce terrorist groups such as the TTP and BLA and has failed to provide assurances or guarantees regarding action against them.
The Pakistani envoy added that terrorist groups are collaborating through joint training, illicit weapons acquisition, and coordinated attacks. He said Pakistan will not remain idle while terrorist attacks target its border posts, law enforcement agencies, civilian infrastructure, places of worship, and schools.
He also said Pakistani counter-terrorism operations have confiscated large caches of sophisticated military equipment left behind by foreign forces in Afghanistan.
Ambassador Ahmad stated that after showing maximum restraint, Pakistan carried out intelligence-based selective strikes on February 21 and 22 against seven terrorist camps belonging to the TTP and ISIL-K in areas bordering Pakistan.
However, he said the Taliban declared hostilities against Pakistan on February 26 by initiating unprovoked firing and shelling across multiple border locations. Pakistan responded with retaliatory measures in self-defense targeting hostile positions and logistical bases used by terrorist groups.
He said Pakistan’s actions were proportional, carefully planned, and directed solely against identified terrorist camps and support infrastructure. He emphasized that Pakistan will take all necessary defensive measures to protect its citizens, territory, and sovereignty, and that counter-terrorism operations will continue as long as needed.
Ambassador Ahmad also raised concerns about reports of civilian casualties mentioned by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), stating that the mission has not presented a realistic overview of Afghanistan’s security dynamics. He questioned UNAMA’s ability to accurately verify incidents in areas where access outside Kabul remains restricted.
Turning to the humanitarian situation, the Pakistani envoy said ordinary Afghans continue to suffer due to sanctions, a dysfunctional banking system, declining foreign aid, poverty, terrorism, narcotics trafficking, and human rights violations.
He said continued restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan are inconsistent with Islamic traditions and the norms of Muslim societies. Pakistan, he said, shares the international community’s concerns regarding the treatment of women and girls.
Ambassador Ahmad also pointed to the growing funding gap in Afghanistan’s 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, which requires $1.71 billion for basic needs.
He further noted that Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees for more than four decades despite limited international support. He said the international community must share the responsibility and uphold commitments related to refugee support and resettlement.
Concluding his remarks, Ambassador Ahmad said Pakistan supports sustained international engagement with Afghanistan and looks forward to the next steps in the UN-led Doha process and its “Mosaic” approach to address Afghanistan’s challenges.
He reiterated that Pakistan seeks a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Afghanistan and emphasized that its primary demand from the Taliban remains clear: verifiable and irreversible action against terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory.
