Pakistan terms access of Afghan terrorists to illegal weapons a threat to regional peace

NEW YORK (Dunya News) - Pakistan on Monday declared that the access of terrorists in Afghanistan to illegal weapons poses a serious threat to regional peace.

Speaking at the United Nations Security Council, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative Asim Iftikhar said that terrorists are operating openly from Afghan soil. He expressed concern over the stockpiles of modern weapons and ammunition in Afghanistan and urged the international community to hold the Afghan authorities accountable for fulfilling their commitments.

Asim Iftikhar emphasized that there is credible evidence that these weapons are being smuggled into neighbouring countries for terrorist activities. He noted that weapons seized along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border were linked to the stockpiles left behind in Afghanistan after the withdrawal US forces.

The Pakistani envoy informed the Security Council that terrorist groups in Afghanistan -- particularly Daesh (ISIS), Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), and the Majeed Brigade -- are using these sophisticated weapons against Pakistani civilians and law enforcement agencies, resulting in the loss of thousands of innocent lives.

He urged the international community to take effective measures to prevent terrorist groups from gaining access to weapons and to ensure that the Afghan interim authorities uphold their international commitments and responsibilities.