Terrorism
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has recently endorsed Pakistan’s perspective regarding the presence and activities of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) within Afghanistan.
During a press briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch highlighted the findings of the UNSC report, which supports Pakistan’s claim that the TTP has been finding refuge in Afghanistan.
According to Baloch, the report underscores that the TTP, labeled as ‘Fitna al-Khawarij’ by the Pakistani government, has the potential to evolve into a significant extra-regional threat and serve as an “umbrella organization” for various other terrorist groups.
The UNSC report notes that TTP operatives and their new recruits are receiving training in Afghanistan, a detail that reinforces Pakistan’s longstanding concerns about the group’s activities.
The Foreign Office has urged Afghanistan to take immediate and decisive action against these terrorist groups, including the TTP.
Baloch emphasized that Afghanistan must ensure its territory is not used for launching terrorist activities against Pakistan.
She pointed out that Pakistan has consistently conveyed the presence of a support network for the TTP within Afghanistan and that the UNSC report highlights a growing collaboration between the TTP and the Afghan Taliban.
The report from the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team revealed that Pakistan has endured over 800 attacks in recent months, which have been attributed to increased cross-border terrorism involving the TTP and Afghan Taliban.
The UNSC report further detailed that the TTP and the Taliban have been collaborating more extensively, sharing resources and training facilities, and conducting more lethal attacks under the banner of Tehrik-e Jihad Pakistan.
Additionally, the report indicated that Al-Qaeda is seeking to strengthen ties with regional terrorist groups from outside Afghanistan, such as the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, and Jamaat Ansarullah, aiming to expand into Central Asia.
In another statement, the Foreign Office condemned Israel’s recent actions, particularly the assassination of Hamas’ political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
Baloch criticized the targeting of individuals within sovereign nations as a breach of international law and norms.
She argued that such actions contribute to further escalation and are a clear example of Israel’s indiscriminate and disproportionate aggression, which threatens regional and global peace and security.
The Foreign Office called for accountability for Israel’s actions and urged its supporters to press for an end to Israel’s unlawful military operations, which violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other nations.
