UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan has urged the international community to unite in holding the Taliban accountable to their commitments, including preventing Afghan territory from being used to threaten other nations, and ensuring a peaceful, stable Afghanistan free from terrorism.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative, said that cross-border infiltration by Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters from Afghanistan continues, and that credible evidence links TTP with other groups, including the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), in attacks on strategic projects in Pakistan.
The Assembly adopted a resolution—supported by 116 countries, with 12 abstentions and 2 votes against (Israel and the U.S.)—calling on the Taliban to respect human rights, combat terrorism, and reverse policies that exclude women and girls from education, work, and public life.
Ambassador Asim highlighted the dire humanitarian and economic situation in Afghanistan, citing worsening poverty, lack of aid, and the dysfunctional banking system. He warned that Afghan soil is being used by terrorist proxies to destabilize neighboring countries, particularly Pakistan.
He welcomed UN-led efforts like the Doha Process, calling for a comprehensive and inclusive framework that balances humanitarian, political, and regional concerns. Pakistan urged full funding of the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, which is currently only 15.7% funded.
Referring to Pakistan’s longstanding role in hosting millions of Afghan refugees, the ambassador said over one million undocumented Afghans have entered the country since 2021, straining domestic resources. He urged a more equitable global burden-sharing.
He also called for reviving Afghanistan’s economy, including the unfreezing of financial assets and facilitating trade. Pakistan, he said, supports regional connectivity projects such as TAPI, CASA-1000, and CPEC’s extension to Afghanistan.
Ambassador Asim stressed that the TTP, with around 6,000 fighters, is the largest UN-listed terrorist group operating from Afghanistan and poses a serious threat not just to Pakistan, but to the entire region. He warned that modern weapons left behind in Afghanistan are now being used in cross-border attacks.
“What force could not achieve will not be secured through sanctions or isolation,” he said, warning that such actions risk reigniting conflict, worsening poverty, and triggering further refugee crises.
Pakistan, he concluded, remains committed to regional peace, Afghan inclusion, and international cooperation.
