Pakistan has urged the UN Security Council to act swiftly to designate the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) as a terrorist organisation under the UN’s sanctions regime established by Resolution 1267.
Addressing a Security Council debate on Threats to International Peace and Security Caused by Terrorist Acts, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said foreign-funded terrorist groups operating against Pakistan had gained renewed strength following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.
He said groups such as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — referred to by Pakistan as Fitna al Khawarij — and the BLA, also described as Fitna al Hindustan, including its Majeed Brigade, had received a “new lease of life” after August 2021.
“We hope the Council will act swiftly to designate BLA under the 1267 sanctions regime, acceding to the listing request that is currently under consideration,” the ambassador told the 15-member body.
Afghan Safe Havens and Regional Threats
Ahmad warned that terrorist threats emanating from Afghanistan must be addressed through a collective, coordinated and comprehensive international response, including the balanced implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
“We must effectively tackle the terrorist threats from Afghanistan,” he said, alleging that BLA and TTP were operating from Afghan soil with the active support of Pakistan’s eastern neighbour.
Citing findings of the Security Council’s Monitoring Team, the Pakistani envoy said Afghanistan’s de facto authorities provide a permissive environment to several terrorist groups, including TTP. He added that ISIL-K (Da’esh) and Al-Qaeda remain active with an external focus, while members of ETIM/TIP move freely inside Afghanistan.
“These terrorist groups pose a threat not only to Pakistan, but to the entire region and beyond,” Ahmad warned, noting recent terrorist activity in Central Asia close to the Afghan border.
US Weapons and Recent Attacks
The ambassador also stressed the urgency of preventing billions of dollars’ worth of sophisticated weapons left behind after the 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan from falling into terrorist hands. He referred to a recent investigation by CNN which revealed that American weapons abandoned in Afghanistan are now being used by militant groups in Pakistan, intensifying security challenges.
According to the report, the arms — originally supplied to Afghan forces — entered illicit networks after the collapse of the former Afghan government.
Ahmad told the Council that the BLA had claimed responsibility for a series of coordinated terrorist attacks across multiple locations in Balochistan over the past weekend, resulting in the martyrdom of 48 civilians, including five women and three children.
Pakistan’s Counter-Terrorism Record
Describing Pakistan as a frontline state in the global fight against terrorism, the envoy said the country had suffered more than 90,000 casualties and severe economic losses due to decades of militant violence. He highlighted Pakistan’s role in dismantling Al-Qaeda networks and countering ISIL-Khorasan.
He also called for accountability of external actors who, he said, support, finance and arm terrorist proxies, including those operating from Afghanistan.
“There must be zero tolerance for state terrorism,” Ahmad said, referring to alleged abuses in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He added that legitimate struggles for self-determination under foreign occupation should not be mischaracterised as terrorism.
Call for Inclusive Counter-Terrorism Framework
The Pakistani envoy urged the UN counter-terrorism architecture and sanctions regimes to evolve in order to fairly and comprehensively address modern threats.
“Counter-terrorism policies have so far singled out only the adherents of one religion — Muslims,” he said, stressing the need to also confront emerging forms of terrorism, including white supremacist, far-right, fascist, xenophobic, Islamophobic and anti-Muslim extremist groups.
“Terrorism can be defeated only through unity and cooperation, without double standards or discrimination, by addressing root causes and preventing its exploitation for politically motivated agendas,” he added.
UN Warning on Da’esh Threat
Opening the debate, Alexandre Zouev, Acting Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, warned that Da’esh and its affiliates continue to adapt despite sustained pressure.
Presenting the UN Secretary-General’s latest biannual report, Zouev said ISIL affiliates are expanding in parts of Africa, particularly West Africa and the Sahel, while remaining active in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. He noted that ISIL-K continues to pose a major threat in Afghanistan and beyond, including its claimed attack on a Kabul restaurant in January.
