Pakistan has cautioned the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is evolving into an umbrella group for regional terrorist organizations amid a surge in terror attacks across the country.
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Munir Akram, issued the warning during a UNSC meeting on Afghanistan’s security situation. He emphasized that over 20 terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil pose the biggest threat to regional stability.
Ambassador Akram’s remarks align with the findings of the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2025, which ranked Pakistan as the second-most terrorism-affected country in the world. The country witnessed a 45% surge in terrorism-related deaths, increasing from 748 in 2023 to 1,081 in 2024. Terror attacks also doubled, crossing the 1,000-mark for the first time since the index’s inception.
Pakistan’s security forces have intensified counter-terrorism operations, including the recent arrest of Daesh-Khorasan operative Mohammad Sharifullah alias Jafar. The arrest, carried out with intelligence from the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), is significant due to Sharifullah’s alleged involvement in the 2021 Kabul Airport suicide bombing that killed at least 170 Afghans and 13 U.S. troops.
In UNSC, Ambassador Akram stated that the TTP, with approximately 6,000 fighters, remains the most significant terrorist outfit operating from Afghanistan. “With safe havens near our border, the TTP has launched multiple attacks on Pakistan’s security forces, civilians, and institutions, causing heavy casualties,” he said.
He further alleged that Afghan authorities have not only tolerated but actively facilitated cross-border TTP attacks. The diplomat also pointed out the group’s collaborations with other militant factions like the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and Majeed Brigade, which aim to destabilize Pakistan and disrupt its economic cooperation with China.
Read More: Security Forces Rescue Hostages, Eliminate 16 Terrorists in Jaffar Express Attack
The GTI report echoes these concerns, identifying the TTP as Pakistan’s deadliest terrorist group, responsible for 52% of all terrorism-related fatalities. The group has reportedly benefited from increased operational freedom and access to safe havens across the border.
Ambassador Akram also highlighted the recovery of advanced weaponry—originally left behind by foreign forces in Afghanistan—during Pakistan’s counter-terrorism operations. He criticized the UN for failing to address the terrorism issue in its report on Afghanistan, announcing Pakistan’s plan to initiate discussions on a dedicated Counter-Terrorism Working Group within the Doha process.
Identification of Bannu Attackers
Meanwhile, investigation sources revealed that two of the 16 terrorists involved in the March 4 attack on Bannu Cantonment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been identified as Abdul Hadi alias Hamas Mohajir and Shamsullah, both from Afghanistan’s Paktika province.
Security forces successfully repelled the attack, killing all 16 militants. The attackers attempted to breach the cantonment’s perimeter by ramming explosive-laden vehicles into the walls. The assault resulted in the martyrdom of five soldiers, while multiple suicide blasts caused the partial collapse of the perimeter wall, damaging nearby infrastructure. A mosque and a civilian residential building were also severely impacted, leading to the deaths of 13 civilians and injuries to 32 others.
The Pakistani government continues to call for stronger global action against terrorist networks operating from Afghan soil, urging international stakeholders to address the ongoing security crisis.
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