THE latest warning issued by the UN Security Council’s anti-terror committee has once again confirmed what Pakistan has consistently maintained: the banned TTP is operating freely from Afghan soil and carrying out deadly attacks inside Pakistan with the support of the de facto authorities in Kabul. The committee’s chair, Ambassador Sandra Jensen Landi, described the TTP as a serious and evolving regional danger, noting the group’s estimated 6,000 fighters entrenched in Afghanistan and its growing influence alongside other extremist organizations.
This assessment, coming from a neutral international forum, is not just a validation of Pakistan’s long-standing concerns; it is an alarming reminder that regional peace is being jeopardized by the continued presence of terrorist groups operating from within Afghanistan. Yet, as sobering as the UNSC’s findings are, the question remains: Will these observations produce any tangible change on the ground? The Afghan authorities must recognize that distancing themselves from the TTP and shutting down its operational space is not a favour to Pakistan, it is a necessity for Afghanistan’s own stability. No country can hope to progress while harbouring or tolerating militant groups. If Afghanistan wishes to end its diplomatic isolation and move towards development, its interim government must adopt a policy of zero tolerance towards all terrorist groups, including the TTP. Only by prioritizing peace, rejecting extremism and cooperating with the international community can Afghanistan hope to rebuild, integrate and heal the deep wounds inflicted upon its people. The region yearns for stability. Pakistan has paid an immense price for terrorism and continues to seek cooperation rather than confrontation. It is now imperative for Kabul to demonstrate through action not ambiguity that it stands on the side of peace. Only then can Afghanistan set itself on a path of progress and offer its people the secure and hopeful future they so urgently deserve.
