UN flags Afghan terror threat, vindicates Pakistan

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan on Thursday said the latest United Nations Security Council report on Afghanistan had validated its longstanding concerns about the presence of terrorist groups across the border.

The 16th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team was submitted to the UN Security Council. "The de facto authorities continue to deny that any terrorist groups have a footprint in or operate from its territory. That claim is not credible," the report said.

"A wide range of member states consistently report that ISIL-K, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Al Qaeda, the Eastern Turkistan Isla­mic Movement, also known as the Turkistan Islamic Party (ETIM/TIP), Jamaat Ansarullah, Ittiha­dul Mujahideen Pakistan, and others are present in Afghanistan. Some groups have used or are continuing to use Afghanistan to plan and prepare external attacks."

Addressing his weekly news briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the UN report had "corroborated what Pakistan has been saying all along" that terrorist sanctuaries inside Afghanistan pose a grave threat to regional peace and stability and undermine prospects for normalisation between Islamabad and Kabul.

The spokesperson noted that the Security Council report elaborated on the configuration of various terrorist outfits operating from Afghan soil, with specific reference to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also referred to by Pakistan as Fitnah Al Khwarij. "These findings are in sync with Pakistan's official position and are now being heard loud and clear across international capitals."

He added that the presence of such groups remained the principal impediment to improved bilateral ties, including progress on border management, trade normalisation and a lasting ceasefire. Andrabi underlined that Pakistan had raised these concerns consistently with the Afghan Taliban authorities and through multilateral and regional forums, including recent talks hosted by Iran.

While declining to comment on specific individuals named in the UN report or alleged financial arrangements, the spokesperson said there was "sufficient evidence, including UN reports," to establish that terrorist elements inside Afghanistan enjoyed the support of the Taliban regime.

He reiterated that Pakistan remained supportive of continued regional engagement mechanisms on Afghanistan but stressed that goodwill gestures by Islamabad had not been reciprocated.

On questions related to a purported ceasefire with Afghanistan, Andrabi clarified that the understanding should not be viewed in conventional military terms. "Terrorist attacks emanating from Afghan soil constitute firing," he said, adding that such attacks had continued despite Pakistan's good-faith efforts. "Unfortunately, this ceasefire is not holding."

Turning to reports by Reuters about an impending visit of Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal General Asim Munir to the United States, the spokesperson contradicted the story "in its essence".

He said the report misleadingly suggested that the visit had been planned and finalised. "I do not have any information on the visit," Andrabi said, adding that official announcements were always made when high-level visits were finalised. "In this case, no such announcement has been made."

He stressed that both political and military leaders routinely visited foreign capitals, but speculation based on unnamed sources should not be treated as confirmation.

Responding to follow-up questions, the spokesperson rejected comparisons with past visits by former military rulers to Washington that resulted in large assistance packages. He said any discussion of economic or strategic outcomes was premature and speculative. "We would wait for an official announcement from the Government of Pakistan in the event of such a visit," he said.

The briefing also addressed what Islamabad described as a sustained disinformation campaign against Pakistan, particularly following a recent terror attack at Bondi Beach in Australia.

Andrabi said the Indian media, aided by outlets and social media handles in Israel and Afghanistan, had falsely linked the attack to Pakistan before the perpetrator was identified as an Indian national. He said Pakistan had raised such instances at relevant international fora, warning that persistent disinformation eroded the credibility of those propagating it.

The spokesperson also raised Pakistan's growing concern over abrupt variations in the flow of Chenab River earlier this month. Andrabi said Pakistan had observed unusual fluctuations between December 7 and 15, which pointed to unilateral water releases by India without prior notification or data-sharing, in violation of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).

He said Pakistan's Indus Water Commissioner had formally written to his Indian counterpart seeking clarification under treaty mechanisms. "Any manipulation of river flows by India, especially at a critical point in our agricultural cycle, directly threatens the lives, livelihoods, food security and economic security of our citizens," the spokesperson warned.

Reiterating Pakistan's commitment to the IWT, Andrabi described the treaty as a binding international agreement that had served as an instrument of regional peace and stability for decades. He cautioned that any breach not only undermined international law and treaty sanctity but also posed serious risks to regional peace and principles of good neighbourliness.

Asked whether Pakistan would invoke Article 9 of the IWT, which deals with dispute settlement, the spokesperson said Islamabad had "all options available" and would exercise them to safeguard its legitimate water rights. "We would also ensure that India does not weaponise water," he said, linking access to water with the fundamental right to life.

"Pakistan remains committed to peaceful resolution of disputes with India," Andrabi concluded, "but will not compromise on the existential water rights of its people."