Pakistan Concerned About Pakistani Taliban’s Access to Advanced Weapons in Afghanistan

Munir Akram, Pakistan’s representative to the United Nations, expressed concern at the UN’s fourth conference to review the implementation of the Program of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons that the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is using safe havens in Afghanistan to launch deadly attacks inside Pakistan.

He emphasized that terrorists and criminals obtain these weapons from illegal markets or entities seeking to destabilize a region. There are reports that weapons left behind by the U.S. and equipment from the former Afghan army are being bought, sold, and smuggled into Pakistan from certain areas of Afghanistan.

Akram called for investigating how terrorist groups gain access to advanced weapons and said all countries and the UN must take action to prevent the illegal trade of these arms. Pakistan accuses the Taliban group in Afghanistan of harboring the TTP, although the Taliban denies this claim. Relations between Pakistan and the Taliban have recently soured, with Pakistan threatening to take action itself if the Taliban does not move against the TTP.