Pakistan at UN Security Council: Afghanistan Has Become a Safe Haven for Terrorist Groups

Pakistan’s representative to the United Nations has declared that Afghanistan under Taliban rule has turned into a safe haven for several terrorist groups, posing a serious security challenge to the region, especially Pakistan. He emphasized that Islamabad’s recent attacks were carried out under the framework of “legitimate self-defense.”

Asim Iftikhar Ahmed, speaking at the UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan, stated that terrorism originating from Afghan soil is not only a threat to neighboring countries but also undermines regional and international peace and security. According to him, groups such as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, the Baloch Liberation Army and its Majid faction, ISIS-Khorasan, Al-Qaeda, and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement operate within Afghanistan and use these areas to conduct cross-border attacks and suicide operations.

He further claimed that elements within the Taliban administration have colluded with these groups and even actively support them. Without directly naming a neighboring eastern country, Pakistan’s representative accused it of providing financial and logistical support to these groups, describing these actions as part of a proxy war against Pakistan.

The Pakistani envoy rejected the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) report on civilian casualties in recent attacks. He asserted that due to limited access to areas outside Kabul and strict Taliban supervision, UNAMA’s ability to independently verify cross-border incidents faces serious questions.

Meanwhile, UNAMA has reported that Pakistani attacks have resulted in at least 185 civilian casualties and injuries, forcing over 20,000 families to flee their homes. These figures highlight the direct impact of the conflicts on local residents.

Armed clashes between Pakistani forces and the Taliban administration intensified about two weeks ago. During this period, parts of Afghan territory have been targeted by air and rocket attacks.

The continued presence and activity of armed groups in Afghanistan, coupled with the lack of a globally recognized and accountable governance structure, have once again raised concerns about how the Taliban administration manages security in the country — a situation that exacts the highest toll on civilians and defenseless families.