Banned TTP poses serious threat to Pakistan security: UNSC panel

UNITED NATIONS — A United Nations Security Council panel has warned that the banned militant group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, also known as the TTP, poses a serious and growing security threat to Pakistan and the broader region. During a Security Council briefing, officials highlighted that the group operates from Afghan territory with support from Afghanistan's de facto authorities, carrying out high-profile attacks that have caused mass casualties across Pakistan.

Presenting a report on behalf of the UNSC Daesh and Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee, Denmark’s Deputy Permanent Representative Sandra Jensen Landi stated that the TTP currently commands approximately 6,000 fighters. Landi emphasized that the militant organization continues to benefit from both logistical and substantial assistance provided by the Taliban regime in Kabul, making it a major regional danger. The briefing was part of a broader session reviewing evolving global terrorist threats and counter-terrorism measures.

Responding to the report, Pakistan's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Usman Jadoon, detailed the severe human and economic toll counter-terrorism efforts have cost his country. Jadoon noted that Pakistan has suffered more than 80,000 casualties and billions of dollars in financial losses while working to eradicate terrorist networks. He stated that security forces continue to counter threats from Afghanistan, where entities such as ISIL-K, the TTP, and the Balochistan Liberation Army along with its Majeed Brigade operate with external patronage.

Jadoon urged the UN Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee to ensure its mechanisms reflect ground realities in a transparent, fair, and non-political manner. He also called for the UN counter-terrorism architecture to adopt tools capable of designating violent far-right, ultranationalist, and Islamophobic groups worldwide. Supporting Pakistan's concerns, the representative of China called on committee members to list the Balochistan Liberation Army and its Majeed Brigade as terrorist entities to signal zero tolerance for terrorism.

Tensions between Islamabad and Kabul have escalated significantly due to the Afghan Taliban's reluctance to curb cross-border terrorism. Recent military confrontations saw border clashes erupt on October 12, prompting response actions from the Pakistan Armed Forces. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations, the military killed over 200 militants while 23 Pakistani soldiers died in the line of duty. Pakistani forces also conducted precision strikes targeting militant strongholds in Kandahar, Kabul, and the border districts of North and South Waziristan.

Diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis have yielded limited results. Following a temporary ceasefire agreed upon during talks in Doha on October 19, subsequent negotiations in Istanbul failed to produce a permanent mechanism to stop attacks originating from Afghan soil. Pakistani officials stated that the Afghan delegation used the talks to deflect responsibility rather than addressing Islamabad's core security concerns.

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