NEW YORK: Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Asim Iftikhar has said that the nation might respond against Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants stationed in Afghanistan if the Taliban administration fails to act against them.
While addressing the UN Asim Iftikhar disclosed that 6,000 TTP fighters are active in Afghanistan, presenting a serious security risk to Pakistan.
Asim Iftikhar highlighted that unless the Taliban takes action against the TTP Pakistan will be forced to implement necessary measures to protect its security. He mentioned that Afghanistan has more turned into a refuge for terrorist organizations and their proxy factions and the terrorism originating from Afghan territory continues to pose a significant and persistent threat to Pakistan.
The Pakistani diplomat said that there is clear evidence of coordination between various terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan. He also stressed that Pakistan has been able to stop these infiltrations by the terrorists due to the bravery and the sacrifices of the army and the people of the country.
The UN team has also confirmed the presence of TTP operatives within the area, thus backing Pakistan’s concerns. Asim Iftikhar called for the world to recognize this threat first and then asked that Afghanistan be given the responsibility of ridding its land of these terrorists.
On top of the security concerns, Asim Iftikhar talked about the regional impact of the changes in Afghanistan. He urged for Afghan refugees to go back to their country stressing that the conflict in Afghanistan has formally concluded. The continued unrest is impacting not Pakistan but the whole region, making it essential for global assistance to aid in stabilizing the region.
The comments are made in the middle of increasing disputes between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with Pakistan still fighting against militancy across the border. Although the Afghan Taliban has been asked to intervene, Pakistan has indicated that it will be forced to use its own measures to safeguard its independence and security if the occurrences of such threats do not stop.
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