United Nations – On September 17, 2025, the Permanent Representative of Pakistan at the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmed, spoke before the UN Security Council and stated that the greatest threat to the security of his country had been terrorism originating on Afghan soil.

The ambassador used a strong tone to urge the international community to act immediately and decisively, stating that the current situation has become intolerable.

The statement by Ambassador Ahmed is against a backdrop of a worrying trend of cross-border attacks and the consistent existence of various UN-designated terrorist factions active on the ground in Afghanistan.

He emphasized that the de facto Afghan government should honor its international counter-terrorism responsibilities to ensure that its territory is not used as an incubating ground from which attacks are launched on its neighbors.

A Nexus of Terrorist Groups and Camps

Ambassador Ahmed painted a bleak scenario of the security situation, indicating an alliance of extremist groups that poses a direct danger to the stability of Pakistan.

He mentioned the presence of groups like ISIS-Khorasan, Al-Qaeda, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), all operating in Afghanistan. He particularly pointed out the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and the Majeed Brigade, claiming their existence and capacity to operate.

This network, according to the ambassador, is supported by more than 60 terrorist camps in Afghanistan that provide active support to cross-border attacks.

He provided evidence of what he referred to as terrorist collusion, such as joint training, weaponry exchanges, where safe havens were provided, and orchestration of attacks.

Besides attacking civilians and security forces, these networks are also trying to derail major development projects in Pakistan.

The Unrelenting Human and Economic Cost

The speech given by the ambassador created a strong image of the high cost that Pakistan is still paying in its struggle against terrorism. He observed that the armed forces of the country have been compelled to counter many cross-border infiltration attempts by both the TTP and BLA.

The human price of this battle was highlighted by one tragic attack this month that took the lives of 12 Pakistani military personnel.

To demonstrate the complexity of these entities, Ambassador Ahmed pointed out that there were enormous stockpiles of high-tech NATO weaponry, which he said has been a major contributor to the abilities of the terrorists.

The government of Pakistan considers such developed weaponry to be a serious issue, emphasizing the extent of foreign aid and funding that these organizations can obtain.

A Call for Global Action

The digital aspect of the threat was also raised by Ambassador Ahmed, who disclosed that approximately 70 Afghan IP-based social media accounts are being used to propagate extremist propaganda and radicalize people.

As a major diplomatic initiative, Pakistan and China have jointly requested that the BLA and Majeed Brigade be classified as terrorist groups by the 1267 Committee of the UN Security Council.

This is a move to mobilize the international community to sanction and implement tangible measures to destroy these networks.