WASHINGTON (MNN); Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, has warned that the exponential rise in cross-border terrorist attacks originating from Afghanistan has become “intolerable for Pakistan”.
His remarks came amid a wave of coordinated terrorist attacks in Balochistan on Saturday. Clearing operations continued on Sunday, while Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti stated that 145 militants were killed within 40 hours.
According to the military’s media wing, the attacks were carried out by Fitna-al-Hindustan, a term used by the state for Balochistan-based militant groups to underscore India’s alleged role in terrorism and destabilisation efforts against Pakistan.
Speaking to journalists, Ambassador Ahmad reiterated Pakistan’s long-standing concern over the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan and accused the Afghan Taliban of sheltering militants operating against Pakistan. He also highlighted what he described as India’s sustained support for proxy groups active from Afghan territory.
He recalled that the UN secretary general had recently stressed that the international community expected the Afghan Taliban to ensure their soil was not used for cross-border terrorism. The envoy noted that this commitment was a key pillar of the Doha agreement but remained unfulfilled.
Under the 2020 Doha accord, which paved the way for the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, Kabul had pledged to prevent militant groups from using Afghan soil to threaten other countries. Ambassador Ahmad said this undertaking had not been honoured.
Citing a recent article published in the US-based magazine Foreign Affairs, he said terrorist violence in Pakistan had surged since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. The report described the Pakistan-Afghanistan border as the most concerning flashpoint in South Asia and warned that the simmering conflict could escalate with serious regional consequences.
The magazine, quoting Pakistani research institutions, reported that 2025 was the deadliest year for Pakistan in a decade, with a sharp increase in attacks, including those by the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan. It cautioned that even deadlier attacks could occur in the near future as repeated mediation efforts had failed to secure Taliban action against the TTP.
The article also pointed to rising tensions due to cross-border strikes and retaliatory exchanges, while noting that the Afghan Taliban appeared unwilling to move against the TTP due to close ideological and operational links.
Ambassador Ahmad further expressed concern over growing Taliban engagement with India, warning that warming ties, alongside a surge in attacks inside Pakistan, could complicate regional security dynamics.
He said the presence of the TTP and BLA elements in Afghanistan and their operations against Pakistan had been documented by the UN Monitoring Team. Calling the situation intolerable, he said Pakistan was taking all necessary steps to counter and eliminate the threat.
The envoy added that concerns over Afghanistan had also been raised by several members of the UN Security Council, noting a broad recognition of the dangers posed by terrorism emanating from Afghan soil.
