TTP is becoming umbrella group for regional militants, Pakistan tells UN

Express Tribune

11-03-2025

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Pakistan has warned the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is evolving into an umbrella organisation for militant groups in the region, with Afghanistan's ruling Taliban authorities complicit in its cross-border attacks.
Speaking at a UNSC session on Afghanistan, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN, Munir Akram, accused Kabul of providing safe havens to militants who have intensified attacks on Pakistani soil. He warned that Afghanistan is now home to more than 20 terrorist groups, posing a direct threat to regional stability.
"We have evidence that the Kabul authorities have not only tolerated but are complicit in the conduct of the TTP's terrorist cross-border attacks," Akram told the Council.
The Pakistani envoy said the TTP, which has an estimated 6,000 fighters, has become the largest terrorist outfit operating from Afghan territory. He alleged that the group enjoys operational freedom and support from elements within Afghanistan's government.
He also warned that the TTP is collaborating with other militant organisations, such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and the Majeed Brigade, both of which have been involved in attacks targeting Pakistan's security forces and Chinese investments in the country.
"The Kabul authorities have failed to address the threat posed to the region and beyond by other terrorist groups, such as Al-Qaeda, the TTP and Baloch terrorists, including the BLA and the Majeed Brigade, which are present in Afghanistan," Akram said.
Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in terrorism, with the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2025 ranking it as the second-most affected country in the world. The country saw a 45% increase in terrorism-related deaths, rising from 748 in 2023 to 1,081 in 2024, one of the steepest surges globally.
The number of terror incidents more than doubled from 517 attacks in 2023 to 1,099 in 2024—the first time attacks surpassed 1,000 in a single year since the index was established. Analysts have linked this escalation to the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan in 2021.
Last week, Pakistani security forces foiled an attempted attack on Bannu Cantonment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing all 16 militants involved. However, five soldiers and 13 civilians also lost their lives in the exchange of fire.
In another major development, Islamabad recently arrested Daesh-Khorasan operative Mohammad Sharifullah alias Jafar with intelligence provided by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). He was later handed over to American authorities for his alleged role in the 2021 Kabul Airport suicide bombing that killed at least 170 Afghans and 13 US troops.
Ambassador Munir Akram also pointed to the alarming recovery of modern weapons during counterterrorism operations against the TTP in Pakistan. He said these arms were part of military stockpiles left behind by foreign forces during their withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
He criticised the latest report by the UN Secretary-General for failing to highlight the growing terrorist threat in Afghanistan.
"It is strange that a report titled 'The Situation in Afghanistan and its Implications for International Peace and Security' covers humanitarian, economic, and human rights issues but does not address terrorism," he said.
Pakistan, he added, would now push for the creation of a counterterrorism working group under the Doha process to develop a structured approach to dealing with the growing militant threat.
Ambassador Akram called on the international community to take urgent steps to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a breeding ground for global terrorism. He urged the UNSC to address the security vacuum that has emerged in the region since the Taliban's takeover, warning that inaction would have serious consequences.
Islamabad, he said, would initiate consultations to establish a formal mechanism within the UN framework to counter cross-border terrorism.
"Pakistan will not allow its security to be undermined, and we will take all necessary steps to protect our people and our interests," he declared.