A United Nations panel has confirmed that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, a terrorist group that perpetrates cross-border attacks into Pakistan from the Afghan soil, receives substantial support from the Afghan Taliban regime.
The latest confirmation of the close ties between the Afghan Taliban regime and Pakistan-focused terror group came as the head of UN Security Council’s 1267 al-Qaeda sanctions committee warned the international community of the “serious threat” posed by the TTP.
The panel chief noted that the TTP – a UN and US-designated terrorist group – has conducted numerous high-profile attacks in Pakistan from Afghan soil, “some of which incurred mass casualties.”
“The TTP, with its approximately 6,000 fighters, is another serious threat emanating from the region, receiving both logistical and substantial support from the de facto (Taliban) authorities,” Ambassador Sandra Jensen Landi, said.
The report comes as the situation on Pakistan-Afghanistan border remains dangerous following a spate of TTP bombings on Pakistani security positions, and Pakistan’s counterterorism actions against TTP targets in Afghanistan.
As per reports, the Afghan Taliban regime joined the TTP in attacking Pakistean in reaction to Islamabad’s actions targeting the Afghan safe havens for TTP operatives.
Landi is Denmark’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations and heads the panel.
She made that statement as the 15-member Council was briefed by the heads of three of its subsidiary bodies — which relate to Da’esh/al-Qaeda, UN counter-terrorism efforts and measures to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to non-State actors.
The Council was informed that the threat posed by terrorism continues to evolve, especially in Africa, as malign actors exploit new technologies to pursue dangerous ends.
In his comments on the report, Pakistan’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Usman Jadoon underscored the fact as stated in the report that Pakistan is a frontline state in global efforts to counter terrorism.
Pakistan, he said, has rendered invaluable sacrifices in its efforts to eradicate this menace, with over 80,000 casualties and billions of dollars in economic losses. Al Qaeda, he added, was decimated largely due to Pakistan’s efforts.
“Our valiant security forces and law enforcement agencies continue to counter the terrorism threat emanating from Afghanistan where entities like ISIL-K, TTP and its affiliates, BLA (Balochistan Liberation Army) and its Majeed Brigade are thriving under the patronage of their hosts and backed by our principle adversary and net destabilizer in the region,’ he said, without naming India.
In his remarks, Ambassador Jadoon said that the 1267 Committee’s sanctions regime must “reflect ground realities”, and that listing and delisting issues must be dealt with “in a fair, transparent and judicious manner and without political considerations”.
The diplomat envoy also stressed that, to adopt a zero-tolerance approach, the UN’s counter-terrorism architecture “must also possess the necessary tools to designate violent, far-right, extreme right-wing, ultranationalist, xenophobic and Islamophobic groups around the world”.
The representative of China, for his part, urged members of the Committee to support the listing of the Balochistan Liberation Army and its Majeed Brigade, “sending a strong signal of zero-tolerance for terrorism.”
Recently, the United States hailed Pakistan as a “phenomenal” counterterrorism partner.
Iftikhar Ali is a veteran Pakistani journalist, former president of UN Correspondents Association, and a recipient of the Pride of Performance civil award
Asim Tanveer is a seasoned journalist working for TV and electronic and print media outlets. He has been working for some of the world’s leading news organizations including Associated Press (AP), Reuters, BBC, CNN, CNBC, Star TV, Voice of America and The New York Times for more than 20 years. He has won several awards for his live coverage of events that include a Reuters News Agency World Award and the Pride of Performance award in 2010.
