EDITORIAL: The latest UN report on terrorism in the region – the 35th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team submitted to the Security Council – has once again validated Pakistan’s long-standing concerns: Afghanistan remains a safe haven for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The findings are alarming — over 600 terror incidents in Pakistan between July and December 2024, with many traced back to Afghan soil.
So it’s now confirmed at the international level that the Afghan Taliban, despite repeated assurances, continue to provide operational space, logistical support, and financial assistance to the TTP. This is a clear violation of their commitments to Pakistan and a direct threat to regional stability.
In this context, army chief General Syed Asim Munir’s unequivocal stance against terrorism is both necessary and timely. His message is clear: there will be no mercy for terrorists unless they surrender.
This approach is in line with Pakistan’s broader counterterrorism policy, which has already seen extensive operations to dismantle militant networks.
However, the problem cannot be tackled solely within Pakistan’s borders. The Afghan government must be held accountable for failing to rein in the TTP, as it had pledged to do.
The Afghan Taliban have long assured Pakistan that they would not allow their soil to be used against a neighbouring country. Yet, on-ground reality contradicts these assurances.
The UN monitoring team’s findings expose how the Afghan Taliban have not only tolerated but actively facilitated the TTP’s resurgence. This continued patronage has emboldened the insurgents, leading to a sharp rise in deadly attacks across Pakistan. The international community must take note of this duplicity and exert pressure on Kabul to sever all ties with TTP.
General Munir’s remarks also touched upon another crucial aspect: the ideological war against terrorism.
The militants operating in Pakistan justify their actions by distorting Islamic teachings, imposing their perverted beliefs on society, and particularly oppressing women under the guise of religious doctrine. His statement reaffirming Islam’s respect and rights for women serves as a direct rebuttal to the extremists’ propaganda. The ideological battle is as important as the physical one, and the state must remain steadfast in countering the false narratives that militant groups spread.
The challenge ahead is formidable, but Pakistan has successfully confronted similar threats in the past. Operation Zarb-e-Azb and Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad dismantled vast militant networks and restored stability to large parts of the country.
However, without decisive action from Afghanistan, any success on the battlefield risks being undermined by an uninterrupted flow of insurgents from across the border.
Diplomatic engagement remains essential, but it must now be coupled with firmer demands and, if necessary, punitive measures. Pakistan cannot afford to tolerate a situation where its security forces and civilians continue to be targeted by militants enjoying sanctuary next door. Kabul must make a choice: either honour its commitments or brace for consequences.
The UN report is a stark reminder that the TTP problem is not going away unless concrete action is taken. Pakistan must continue to eliminate terrorists within its borders while making it clear to the Afghan leadership that their continued sheltering of the TTP will have repercussions.
The Afghan Taliban must decide whether they want to be seen as responsible leaders of a sovereign state or as enablers of terrorism. The time for vague promises has passed — Pakistan needs real action, and it needs it now.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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