Pakistan berates Afghanistan for lack of decisive action against terrorism

Ambassador Munir Akram, Pakistan's permanent representative to the United Nations, emphasised that despite making commitments, the Taliban government has not taken decisive action to stop cross-border terrorist activities by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The envoy urged for immediate measures to combat terrorism.

"Elimination of terrorism within and from Afghanistan remains the highest priority for the international community, Afghanistan's neighbours, and Afghanistan itself," said the envoy at a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Afghanistan.

Earlier, in January, the Centre for Research and Security Studies' (CRSS) Annual Security Report revealed that Pakistan experienced the highest number of fatalities from terrorist attacks and counter-terror operations in six years, totaling nearly 1,000 deaths.

Additionally, recent months have seen a significant rise in attacks on Pakistan’s security forces, with the militants using advanced weaponry.

Islamabad has consistently urged the interim Afghanistan government to prevent its territory from being used by TTP and other militant groups for carrying out attacks against Pakistan.

Ambassador Akram said that despite progress by Afghan interim government in combating Daesh, several other terrorist groups, including Al-Qaeda, TTP, East Turkestan Islamic Movement, and Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, continue to operate in Afghanistan.

Pakistan urged the Afghan government to take effective and sustained action against these groups in compliance with several UNSC resolutions.

He emphasised that goals such as investment, social and economic development, and infrastructure projects cannot be achieved as long as these groups operate freely within and from Afghanistan.

The ambassador described TTP as the most direct and serious threat to Pakistan and detailed it's terrorist activities, which have resulted in hundreds of civilian and military casualties.

Speaking about the recent cross-border attacks including one that killed several Chinese engineers working on the Dasu hydropower project, the envoy said the TTP has intensified its attacks after acquiring sophisticated weapons.

Akram said that the TTP's safe havens near Pakistan's borders persist despite Islamabad's repeated calls for the Afghan government to take action against the militant organisation.

He urged the UNSC to call on the Afghan government to sever its links with the TTP and its associates, prevent cross-border attacks against Pakistan, disarm terrorists, and capture and hand over TTP leaders to Pakistan.