NEW YORK: A top Pakistani envoy has called on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to join Islamabad in demanding that the Afghan Taliban terminate their ties with banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which is responsible for persistent attacks against Pakistan.
Pakistan’s permanent Ambassador at UN Munir Akram warned the UNSC, “Left unchecked, the banned TTP, supported by Al-Qaeda and some State sponsors, could soon pose a global terrorist threat.”
Speaking in a session on the current situation in Afghanistan, the Pakistani ambassador said, “The Afghan Interim Government’s failure to control the banned TTP and other terrorist and militant groups erodes its claim of complete control of its territory that it asserts to secure global recognition.”
Islamabad Asks UNSC to ask Afghan Taliban to Cut Ties with TTP
The envoy also asked the UN to undertake a probe to find out how the banned TTP has acquired advanced military equipment and weapons and to identify the sources of the banned TTP’s financing, which is helping sustain its more than 50,000 militants and their dependents and its terror operations.
About the reported border incidents, the exchange of fire by Pakistan’s security forces was always in reply to cross-border assaults by the banned TTP and its associates against Pakistan’s border posts.
He said, “We would expect the United Nations to call on the Afghan Interim authorities to stop such cross-border attacks and infiltration by the banned TTP and other terrorists into Pakistani side.”
Highlighting that terrorist organizations in Afghanistan pose a serious security threat to each one of the country’s immediate neighbors, Munir Akram said, “Counter terrorism must be the top priority in any future Roadmap for engagement with the current Afghan Interim Government.”
On the occasion, he said that the world must help millions of poor Afghans through the provision of “unconditional” humanitarian help. He added that it is important to support economy of Afghanistan and, to this end, the world should help revive the banking system and also facilitate the release of frozen assets to Afghanistan’s central bank.
Ambassador Munir Akram stated that Afghan Taliban must also fulfill its global obligations — especially about the basic rights of girls and women — promote inclusivity and eliminate terrorism within and from Afghanistan.
The Pakistani Ambassador also detailed several objections to the Secretary-General’s report on the current situation in Afghanistan, including its claim of an “unfavorable protection atmosphere in Pakistan”. He said that Pakistan has provided shelters to more than 5 million Afghan refugees for more than 40 years at great social, security and economic cost with little help from the world.
