Terrorism emanating from Afghanistan remains the “gravest threat” to Pakistan’s national security, top Pakistani diplomat told the UN Security Council, as he exhorted the Taliban authorities to fulfill their international obligations on counterterrorism.“The TTP (Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan), with nearly 6,000 fighters, remains the largest UN-designated terrorist group on Afghan soil,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan to the U.N., said in a debate on the situation in Afghanistan.

Pakistan, he said, had thwarted multiple infiltration attempts of TTP and BLA (Balochistan Liberation Army) terrorists from across Afghanistan, confiscating significant caches of sophisticated military grade modern equipment left behind by international forces in Afghanistan– mainly weapons abandoned by the departing US troops.

“These efforts come at a heavy price – huge sacrifices by our valiant security forces and civilians,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said, referring to the martyrdom of 12 Pakistani soldiers in a single incident just this month while they were defending the borders.“This situation is intolerable,” the Pakistani envoy told the 15-member Council.

Terrorist entities, including ISIL-K/Da’esh, Al-Qaeda, TTP, BLA, and its Majeed Brigade, he said, operate from Afghan sanctuaries, with more than 60 such terrorist camps serving as hubs for enabling cross-border infiltration and attacks.“We have credible evidence of collaboration among these terrorist groups through joint training, illicit weapons trade, refuge to terrorists, and coordinated attacks – all aimed at targeting civilian and law enforcement agencies and disrupting and sabotaging infrastructure and development projects in Pakistan.

”He called for swift action on the proposal by China and Pakistan in the UNSC’s 1267 Sanctions Committee to designate the BLA and Majeed Brigade as terrorist organizations. On its part, the United States has already listed the two terrorist outfits. Recalling that Pakistan has “consistently advocated sustained engagement with Afghanistan”, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad stressed that the Taliban sanctions regime must not “fall prey to political considerations of Council members”.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)