Pakistan Urges UN to Prevent Afghanistan from Becoming Terror Hub, Calls TTP Global Threat

Pakistan has raised its voice on the international level regarding terrorism prevailing in Afghanistan, urging the United Nations to not let the nation become a safe haven for terrorists.

In a recent address to the United Nations General Assembly, Pakistan’s Permanent Ambassador to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad highlighted the threat posed by Afghanistan-based militant groups, emphasizing the risks not only to neighboring countries but also to the wider region and the world.

“We must ensure that Afghanistan does not become a breeding ground for terrorists that threatens not only its neighbours, but the region and beyond,” Ambassador Ahmad stated during the plenary session focused on the situation in Afghanistan. His remarks reflect Pakistan’s longstanding concerns about terrorist outfits using Afghan territory to launch attacks.

Recently, Pakistan’s security forces neutralized at least 30 Indian-backed terrorists attempting to infiltrate via the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021, Pakistan has seen a notable rise in cross-border terror incidents, especially in its bordering provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. A slight increase in militant attacks was also recorded in May 2025, despite ongoing military tensions with neighboring India.

The day before the UN address, Pakistan and India held the first round of an additional secretary-level dialogue between their foreign ministries in Islamabad. Discussions covered critical bilateral issues such as trade, transit cooperation, security, and connectivity. Both sides acknowledged terrorism as a major threat to regional peace and security. Pakistan reiterated the necessity for concrete measures against terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil, emphasizing that these groups compromise Pakistan’s security and obstruct regional development.

Expanding on the terrorism threat from Afghanistan, Ambassador Ahmad warned: “Daesh continues to target the de facto authorities while other terrorist entities including Al-Qaeda, the TTP, and the Baloch militant groups, continue to operate from ungoverned spaces in Afghanistan.”

He further stressed, “Afghanistan must not become a safe haven for terrorism against any other country,” noting that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), with approximately 6,000 fighters, remains the largest UN-designated terrorist group operating from Afghan soil.

Highlighting cross-recruitment among groups such as TTP and Daesh, the ambassador said, “The TTP poses a threat not only to our national security but the region and the world.”

He also lamented the frequent attempts to breach the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and highlighted the increasing use of advanced weapons and equipment by terrorists to carry out sophisticated attacks against Pakistan in recent weeks.

“These incidents underscore the scale and seriousness of the threat we face. Pakistan will continue to take all possible action to ensure the safety and security of its people,” he affirmed.

Ambassador Ahmad revealed credible evidence of collaboration between the TTP and other groups like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Majeed Brigade, aimed at sabotaging Pakistan’s strategic infrastructure and economic development projects.

“Regrettably, Afghan soil also continues to be used by terrorists, often proxies, against other countries, particularly Pakistan,” he added.

Regarding the broader impact of Afghanistan’s instability, the ambassador noted that Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees for decades and continues to provide protection despite significant challenges.

“Since August 2021, an additional one million undocumented individuals crossed into Pakistan, creating among other issues, law-and-order concerns. The international community in our view must share this burden more equitably,” he said, calling for international support.

He also urged for the revival of Afghanistan’s economy and banking system, including the unfreezing of financial assets, to enable trade and investment.

Pakistan remains committed to regional development and connectivity initiatives such as TAPI, CASA-1000, the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan railway, and the extension of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan.

“For the first time in more than four decades, we have seen an end to fighting in Afghanistan. It has been nearly four years since the Taliban takeover. There is renewed hope for a better future for an Afghanistan at peace with itself, its neighbours and the international community,” Ambassador Ahmad remarked.

He concluded with a vision of an inclusive and peaceful Afghanistan: “An Afghanistan which respects and nurtures all Afghans, regardless of considerations of gender, ethnicity, political affiliation or religion and a prosperous Afghanistan free from terrorism; fully integrated into the international community.”

Stressing the importance of sustained engagement, he urged, “Afghanistan must not be abandoned and that practical and pragmatic engagement through dialogue and diplomacy was the only way forward.”

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