Pakistan is Done Being ‘Generous’ to Afghanistan, Taliban
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Salma Hossein
- . December 21, 2023
- . Update: December 21, 2023 6:41 pm
Not too long ago, Pakistan had urged the international community to engage with the Afghan Taliban when it took over Kabul in August 2021. Now, Islamabad has taken a different step saying any future engagement with the Afghan Taliban will be based on the actions it will take against terrorist outfits.
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative at the UN Munir Akram told the UN Security Council that any process of engagement with the Afghan interim government should be conducted on the basis of the action that it takes against terrorist organizations.
“Else, we will see the recurrence and proliferation of terrorism from Afghanistan as happened prior to 9/11, threatening not only the region but the entire world. Any process of engagement with the Afghan interim government must be constituted on the basis of its response to the core concerns of the international community; respect for human rights, particularly the rights of women and girls; political inclusivity; and action to neutralize terrorist organizations in Afghanistan, not only Daesh, but also the TTP and other entities that threaten the security of Afghanistan’s neighbors.”
Pakistan Demands UN Probe
Akram said Pakistan faced a major threat from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its offshoots for the organized cross-border terrorist attacks in the country. This year, the TTP carried out several attacks on Pakistani soil killing soldiers and civilians.
“We have lost hundreds of our brave soldiers and civilians in these attacks just this year alone; and last week, a TTP-affiliated group carried out a heinous attack on our security personnel in Dera Ismail Khan, resulting in the loss of more than 23 lives. These attacks have become more lethal and sophisticated since the TTP terrorists have acquired and use advanced military equipment.”
Pakistan’s envoy demanded the UNSC to conduct a thorough investigation to establish how the TTP acquired advanced military equipment. “These weapons obviously originate from the considerable stocks left behind by foreign forces. Yet, the question is how did the TTP, a listed terrorist organization, secure these weapons?”
Akram said it’s clear that the TTP has been given free rein to conduct cross-border attacks against Pakistan’s border outposts and other installations.
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Pakistan on Afghan Refugees
In regards to deportation of Afghan refugees, he said Pakistan has paid an enormous price for its 40 years of generosity towards Afghanistan. “After 40 years, we continue to host 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees with little or no support from the international community. Since the Afghan interim government claimed that peace has been restored in Afghanistan, it should work with the High Commission of Refugees to make preparations for the early repatriation of the Afghan refugees.” Akram told the UNSC that there are another 2.2 million Afghans who are in Pakistan undocumented and illegal. “These include 700,000 who crossed into Pakistan after the Taliban takeover.”
