Pakistan delivered a powerful statement at the United Nations Security Council today, holding Afghanistan accountable for harboring groups that Islamabad calls its greatest security threat. Speaking through its Permanent Mission to the UN, Pakistan made clear that the situation across its western border cannot be ignored any longer and that the international community must act.
Pakistan began by expressing solidarity with the Afghan people, extending condolences for the devastating earthquake that recently struck Afghanistan. But the tone quickly turned uncompromising as Islamabad called on Kabul’s rulers to stop providing safe haven to deadly militant networks that have repeatedly spilled blood on Pakistani soil.
Pakistan’s envoy reminded the Council that Islamabad has been engaged with the Afghan Taliban regime on multiple fronts including security coordination, trade, and connectivity projects, yet the threat from groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) continues to grow. “We have made repeated attempts through dialogue to convince the de facto Afghan authorities to rein in these groups,” the envoy said. “But these efforts have not produced the results that our people deserve.”
The statement listed several groups currently operating from Afghanistan: Al-Qaeda, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), ISIL-Khorasan, the TTP, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), and the Majeed Brigade. Pakistan warned that these groups are orchestrating attacks against its security forces, citizens, and infrastructure, describing them as the “biggest threat to Pakistan’s peace and stability.”
In a significant development, Pakistan revealed that it has partnered with China to formally request that the United Nations designate all these groups as terrorist organizations, a move that would open the door to global sanctions and diplomatic pressure.
Pakistan also turned attention to the decades-long burden it has shouldered hosting millions of Afghan refugees. “No country has hosted refugees for as long as Pakistan has,” the envoy stressed. “We have done so at enormous economic, social, and security costs. It is time for fair burden sharing from the international community. We cannot continue to absorb this pressure indefinitely.”
The statement further urged the Council to demand that the Taliban administration meet its obligations under international law, including commitments on counter-terrorism and women’s rights. “The people of Afghanistan, women and girls especially, cannot be abandoned to a future of repression,” Pakistan asserted.
Despite the tough message, Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment to diplomacy and dialogue, emphasizing that peace in Afghanistan remains essential for peace in the entire region. “Pakistan does not seek instability in Afghanistan. On the contrary, we want a secure, prosperous neighbor with whom we can trade, connect, and grow together. But we cannot allow our security to be held hostage by armed groups who operate freely across the border.”
This strong intervention signals that Islamabad is no longer willing to wait passively for the situation to improve. Analysts believe today’s statement could put pressure on the international community to step up engagement with Kabul and force the Taliban leadership to rein in militant outfits that threaten not only Pakistan but regional and global security.
