ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan said on Thursday that the latest UN Security Council report on Afghanistan had confirmed its long-standing concerns about the presence of terrorist groups across the border.
The 16th Report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team was submitted to the UN Security Council. “The de facto authorities continue to deny that any terrorist groups have a footprint in or operate from their territory. That claim is not credible,” the report said.
“A large number of member states consistently report that ISIL-K, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Al Qaeda, Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement, also known as Turkistan Islamic Party (ETIM/TIP), Jamaat Ansarullah, Ittihadul Mujahideen Pakistan, and others are present in the planning of Afghanistan, and some groups have used or continue to use to attack Afghanistan.”
Speaking at his weekly news briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi said the UN report had “confirmed what Pakistan has been saying all along” that terrorist sanctuaries inside Afghanistan pose a serious threat to regional peace and stability and undermine prospects for normalization between Islamabad and Kabul.
The spokesman noted that the Security Council report elaborated on the configuration of various terrorist outfits operating from Afghan soil, with specific reference to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also referred to by Pakistan as Fitnah Al Khwarij. “These findings are in sync with Pakistan’s official position and are now being heard loud and clear across international capitals.”
He added that the presence of such groups remained the main obstacle to improved bilateral ties, including progress on border management, trade normalization and a lasting ceasefire. Andrabi emphasized that Pakistan had consistently raised these concerns with the Afghan Taliban authorities and through multilateral and regional forums, including recent talks hosted by Iran.
While declining to comment on specific individuals named in the UN report or alleged financial arrangements, the spokesman said there was “sufficient evidence, including UN reports,” to establish that terrorist elements in Afghanistan enjoyed support from the Taliban regime.
He reiterated that Pakistan continued to support the continued regional engagement mechanisms in Afghanistan, but stressed that Islamabad’s goodwill gestures had not been reciprocated.
On questions related to an alleged ceasefire with Afghanistan, Andrabi clarified that the understanding should not be seen in conventional military terms. “Terrorist attacks emanating from Afghan soil constitute launching,” he said, adding that such attacks had continued despite Pakistan’s good faith efforts. “Unfortunately, this truce will not last.”
Referring to reports by Reuters about an impending visit of the Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal General Asim Munir to the United States, the spokesman contradicted the story “in its essence.”
He said the report misleadingly suggested the visit had been planned and completed. “I have no information about the visit,” Andrabi said, adding that official announcements were always made when high-level visits ended. “In this case, no such notice was given.”
He stressed that both political and military leaders routinely visited foreign capitals, but speculation based on unnamed sources should not be treated as confirmation.
In response to follow-up questions, the spokesman dismissed comparisons with previous visits by former military rulers to Washington that resulted in large aid packages. He said any discussion of financial or strategic results was premature and speculative. “We will wait for an official announcement from the government of Pakistan in case of such a visit,” he said.
The briefing also addressed what Islamabad described as a sustained disinformation campaign against Pakistan, particularly after a recent terrorist attack at Bondi Beach in Australia.
Andrabi said the Indian media, aided by business and social media outlets in Israel and Afghanistan, had mistakenly linked the attack to Pakistan before the perpetrator was identified as an Indian national. He said Pakistan had raised such cases in relevant international forums and warned that persistent disinformation was eroding the credibility of those spreading it.
The spokesman also raised Pakistan’s growing concern over sudden variations in the flow of the Chenab River earlier this month. Andrabi said Pakistan had observed unusual fluctuations between December 7 and 15, pointing to unilateral water releases by India without prior notification or data sharing, in violation of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
He said Pakistan’s Indus Water Commissioner had formally written to his Indian counterpart seeking clarification under treaty mechanisms. “Any manipulation of river flows by India, especially at a critical juncture in our agricultural cycle, directly threatens the lives, livelihoods, food security and economic security of our citizens,” the spokesperson warned.
Reiterating Pakistan’s commitment to the IWT, Andrabi described the treaty as a binding international agreement that had served as an instrument of regional peace and stability for decades. He warned that any breach not only undermined international law and the sanctity of treaties, but also posed a serious risk to regional peace and the principles of good neighborliness.
Asked if Pakistan would invoke Article 9 of the IWT, which deals with dispute settlement, the spokesman said Islamabad had “all options available” and would exercise them to protect its legitimate water rights. “We also want to ensure that India does not weaponize water,” he said, linking access to water with the fundamental right to life.
“Pakistan remains committed to a peaceful resolution of disputes with India,” Andrabi concluded, “but will not compromise the existential water rights of its people.”
