Pakistan has termed terrorists’ access to illegal and advanced weaponry in Afghanistan a serious threat to regional peace and stability, urging the international community to hold the Afghan authorities accountable for their commitments to counter terrorism.
Addressing the United Nations Security Council, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar, expressed deep concern over reports of modern arms and ammunition stockpiles in Afghanistan, stating that terrorists are openly operating from Afghan soil. He warned that credible information confirms efforts to smuggle these weapons into neighbouring countries for terrorist activities.
Ambassador Iftikhar informed the Council that weapons seized along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border are directly linked to stockpiles left behind in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of foreign forces. He pointed out that terrorist groups including Daesh, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), and the Majeed Brigade are using such weapons against Pakistani civilians and law enforcement agencies, resulting in the loss of thousands of innocent lives.
The Pakistani envoy urged the international community to take effective measures to prevent terrorist groups from gaining access to weapons and to ensure that the Afghan interim authorities uphold their international obligations and commitments.
