Islamabad has warned that the acquisition of abandoned weapons by terrorist groups based in Afghanistan not only threatens peace and security in Pakistan but also in the region.
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations, made the remarks while addressing the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) open debate on small arms late on Monday, according to a press release by the mission.
In his remarks, Ambassador Iftikhar said, “Pakistan is seriously concerned about the presence of stockpiles of sophisticated arms and ammunition in Afghanistan, as noted in the findings of the secretary general’s reports.”
The report states that transnational criminal dynamics were observed in Afghanistan, where possible arms and ammunition transfer to neighbouring states in breach of the arms embargo and unofficial markets for weapons have emerged, further escalating the threat to regional security.
The envoy said Pakistan had “credible information of attempts to smuggle these arms to neighboring countries for terrorist activities”.
“Weapons confiscated at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border are traced back to stockpiles of weapons left behind by foreign forces in Afghanistan and illegal weapons being sold across black markets in Afghanistan,” Ambassador Iftikhar said.
“The movement of unmarked or unregistered weapons across the international border sustain and aid non-state armed groups, terrorist networks, and criminal gangs, undermining regional security and stability,” he said.
He further said that Pakistan was “deeply concerned” at the acquisition and use of these “mostly abandoned, modern and potent weapons by terrorist groups based in Afghanistan, which continue to pose serious challenge to peace and security in Pakistan and the broader region”.
He said that terrorist entities, such as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan (ISIL-K), the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and the Majeed Brigade, had used these weapons against Pakistani civilians and law enforcement agencies, leading to the loss of thousands of lives.
“We urge stronger international efforts to prevent access of illicit arms to armed terrorist groups in Afghanistan and to ensure that the Afghan interim authorities adhere to their international obligations and commitments in that regard,” he said.
“The international community needs to step up its efforts and plug gaps in its response to effectively address these threats to international and regional peace and security,” he added.
In his remarks, the envoy also noted that small arms and light weapons had emerged as “instruments of choice for non-state actors to perpetrate violence”, adding that illicit arms directly threatened national security and impeded counter-terrorism operations, and civilian protection.
He further said that illicit weapons impeded development prospects, contributed to human rights abuses and imperiled peace, security and stability.
“We firmly believe that the issue of illicit small arms and light weapons should be addressed comprehensively and in a balanced manner,” Ambassador Iftikhar said.
“The United Nations’ ‘Programme of Action on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects’ strikes a balance between the legitimate security requirements of states and the imperative to address the issue of illicit arms on both the supply and demand sides. We remain committed to its implementation at the national level and call for its full execution at the global level to safeguard and promote international and regional peace and security,” he said.
As the US troops departed Afghanistan in August 2021, they destroyed more than 70 aircraft, dozens of armoured vehicles and disabled air defences before flying out of Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport following a chaotic evacuation operation. However, a large stock of weapons and equipment was still left behind that was coopted by the Afghan Taliban.
The arms also fell into the hands of the banned militant Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan group and other terrorist outfits, as pointed out by Pakistan and others. Islamabad has repeatedly raised concerns over the use of Afghan soil by militants for cross-border terrorism and called on the United Nations for a “concerted campaign” to recover all weapons from terrorist groups such as the TTP.
In January, the Foreign Office said the presence of advanced US weapons in Afghanistan following the August 2021 withdrawal had become a “profound concern” for Pakistan’s safety and security.
The Washington Post also reported in April that terrorists who attacked the Jaffar Express train in Balochistan in March used weapons left behind when United States forces withdrew from Afghanistan.
According to The Post, an M4A1 carbine rifle built by American manufacturer Colt was recovered from the site of the attack. The rifle’s serial number indicated that it was part of billions of dollars worth of weaponry sent to US forces in Afghanistan.
