Islamabad (Web Desk): At the United Nations (UN), Pakistan has called for decisive action against terrorism in Afghanistan.
Speaking at UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Munir Akram highlighted the dangers of allowing impunity for terrorist groups in Afghanistan.
He said despite progress made by the Afghan Interim Government in combating Daesh (ISKP), several other terrorist groups including Al-Qaeda and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) continue to operate in Afghanistan.
The ambassador emphasized that goals of socio-economic development in Afghanistan cannot be achieved as long as these groups operate freely within and from Afghanistan.
He reiterated that elimination of terrorism within and from Afghanistan remained the highest priority for the international community, Afghanistan's neighbours and Afghanistan itself.
Ambassador Munir Akram described the TTP as the most direct and serious threat to Pakistan and detailed the TTP's activities, which have resulted in hundreds of civilian and military casualties.
“Despite Pakistan's repeated calls to Afghanistan to take action against the TTP, no significant action has been taken,” Akram said.
He said that the TTP safe havens near Pakistan's borders persist and recent cross-border attacks include the one that killed Chinese engineers working on Dasu hydropower project.
Munir Akram urged the UN Security Council to call on the Afghan interim government to sever its links with the TTP and its associates, prevent cross-border attacks against Pakistan, disarm TTP terrorists, and capture and hand over TTP leaders to Pakistan.
He emphasized a realistic roadmap for Afghanistan's normalization and integration into the global community.
“Pakistan is ready and will continue to work at bilateral, regional and international levels to achieve sustainable peace and development in Afghanistan,” Munir Akram said.
He also reminded the international community of its obligation to assist the 23 million Afghans in urgent need of humanitarian aid.
Ambassador Munir Akram termed the revival of the Afghan economy and finding pathways for sustained development as being equally important.
“Pakistan enjoys close ethnic, cultural, historic and religious bonds with Afghanistan, therefore promoting peace there is a national compulsion for Pakistan,” Ambassador Munir Akram said.