Pakistan has highlighted the “deep nexus” between the Taliban and groups such as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), saying terrorism from Afghanistan has killed 4,700 Pakistanis over the past three years and that the Taliban failed to act against those groups.
“The situation is made worse by external actors, the spoilers who support proxies inside Afghanistan to target Pakistan and other neighbouring countries,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, told the Security Council on Wednesday in an obvious reference to India.
The Pakistani envoy, who was speaking in a debate on the situation in Afghanistan, warned that his country could not sit idle in the face of this terrorist onslaught. “We will respond in self-defence, as and when needed and in accordance with international law.”
Noting that international forces left behind a huge cache of arms and ammunition for use by the previous Afghan Government, he encouraged the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) to report on the illegal trade in small arms and light weapons, as well as on illicit money laundering through havala networks.
While Pakistan has supported Afghanistan’s stabilization through engagement, humanitarian assistance and regional cooperation, hopes have given way to concern as Afghanistan has again become a haven for terrorists, the Pakistani envoy said
Opening the debate, Georgette Gagnon, Deputy Special Representative and Officer-in-Charge of UNAMA, told the 15-member Council that five years after the Taliban returned to power, Afghanistan stands at a crossroads.
“Key risks to Afghanistan’s stability are accumulating, and they mainly stem from the de facto authorities’ own policies,” she pointed out.
The message is clear: “Peace is not only the absence of armed conflict. Sustainable peace requires dignity, inclusion, opportunity, and hope.”
In his remarks, Ambassador Asim Ahmad also said that the hopes and expectations of the international community at that critical juncture five years ago did not materialize and in fact, gradually turned into despair and disappointment.
“We agree with the assessment (in the Secretary-General’s report) that the risks associated with human rights violations, lack of political inclusivity, acute economic pressure, and the increasing terrorist threat from Afghanistan are a cause of grave concern for the international community,” Ambassador Asim Ahmad said, as he drew attention to indicators presenting a declining trend as the country faces huge challenges.
“We expected that the Taliban would take concrete and verifiable actions against those terrorist groups,” he said, but they failed to act.
The deteriorating humanitarian and human rights situation also demonstrates the Taliban’s continued backtracking on their international obligations
the Taliban restrictions on women and girls contradict Islamic principles, the Pakistani envoy said.
For over four decades, he said, Pakistan welcomed millions of Afghan refugees despite insufficient international support and also dealt with huge caseloads of illegal Afghans, including those without documentation who pose a serious threat to our security. “We continue to facilitate vulnerable Afghans numbering thousands, despite limitations.”
“Peace and stability in Afghanistan is in Pakistan’s national interest., Ambassador Asim Ahmad said, adding, “Lasting peace and prosperity would require the Taliban to demonstrate responsible behaviour to be seen as a reliable partner in the region and for the wider international community.”