Amid a surge in terror attacks, Pakistan has alerted the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is emerging as a unifying force for regional terrorist groups.
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Munir Akram, delivered the warning during a UNSC meeting on Afghanistan, emphasizing that the most significant security threat in the region stems from over 20 terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil. His remarks come as Pakistan grapples with escalating violence, ranking as the world’s second-most terrorism-affected country, according to the Global Terrorism Index 2025.
Pakistan has witnessed a dramatic 45% surge in terrorism-related deaths, climbing from 748 in 2023 to 1,081 in 2024—one of the highest increases globally. The number of attacks more than doubled, soaring from 517 to 1,099, marking the first time incidents have surpassed 1,000 since the index’s inception. The report links this alarming rise to the Afghan Taliban’s takeover of Kabul.
Despite these challenges, Pakistan’s security forces remain proactive. Recently, they arrested Daesh-Khorasan operative Mohammad Sharifullah alias Jafar—suspected in the 2021 Abbey Gate suicide bombing at Kabul Airport that killed 170 Afghans and 13 US troops—based on intelligence from the CIA. He has since been handed over to the United States.
‘Kabul is Complicit’
Ambassador Akram accused Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government of not only tolerating but actively aiding the TTP’s cross-border attacks on Pakistan. He stated that the TTP, with approximately 6,000 fighters, is the largest terrorist outfit operating from Afghanistan, frequently targeting Pakistani soldiers, civilians, and institutions.
He further warned that the TTP is coordinating with other terrorist groups, including the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and the Majeed Brigade, to destabilize Pakistan and sabotage its economic cooperation with China.
The Global Terrorism Index echoes these concerns, identifying the TTP as Pakistan’s deadliest terrorist group, responsible for 52% of all terrorism-related deaths. The report also highlights the group’s growing operational freedom and its ability to exploit safe havens across the border.
“The Kabul authorities have failed to curb the threats posed by Al-Qaeda, TTP, and Baloch separatist groups such as the BLA and Majeed Brigade,” Ambassador Akram said, adding that counter-terrorism operations in Pakistan have uncovered modern weapons originally left behind by foreign forces in Afghanistan.
He also criticized the UN Secretary-General’s report on Afghanistan for overlooking the issue of terrorism, despite its focus on humanitarian, economic, and human rights concerns. To address this gap, he announced that Pakistan would initiate consultations on establishing a counterterrorism mechanism within the Doha process, potentially through a dedicated Working Group.