New York (HRNW) – Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, has expressed serious concerns over cross-border terrorism originating from Afghanistan, regional security challenges and the Taliban’s failure to address the presence of militant groups operating from Afghan territory.
Speaking at a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the situation in Afghanistan, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar thanked UNAMA Acting Special Representative Georgette Gagnon, the Deputy Special Representative and other officials for their briefings, while also taking note of the UN Secretary-General’s report.
The Pakistani envoy stated that nearly five years after the Taliban’s return to power, Afghanistan has yet to achieve lasting peace or establish sustainable stability with neighboring countries.
He highlighted Pakistan’s efforts to support Afghanistan through humanitarian assistance, political engagement, trade facilitation, transit arrangements, visa issuance, high-level visits and regional cooperation initiatives aimed at helping Afghanistan reintegrate into the international community.
According to Ambassador Asim Iftikhar, Pakistan had expected the Taliban administration to fulfill its international obligations and guide Afghanistan toward stability and development. However, he said those expectations have not been met.
The ambassador warned that Afghanistan continues to serve as a sanctuary for various militant organizations, creating security concerns for the wider region, including Pakistan. He named groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its Majeed Brigade, ISIS-Khorasan (ISIL-K), the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and other militant organizations as being active from Afghan territory.
He said Pakistan has observed a significant increase in terrorist activity in recent years, noting that more than 5,300 terrorist incidents reportedly occurred during 2025, resulting in the deaths of over 1,200 people.
The envoy also referred to a May 9 attack on a police post in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in which 15 police personnel were killed, alleging that the attack was planned by elements operating from Afghanistan.
According to the ambassador, militant groups continue to gain access to advanced weapons and drone technology, including equipment left behind following the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan. He stated that more than 290 cases involving the seizure of such weapons have been recorded during counter-terrorism operations.
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar further expressed concern over what he described as the Taliban’s reluctance to openly condemn and distance itself from militant organizations, arguing that such an approach raises serious questions regarding the effectiveness of efforts to combat terrorism.
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