NEW YORK: Antonio Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations, has called on the Taliban government to not allow militant groups such as Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to use Afghanistan’s land to carry out attacks inside Pakistan.
“There is a clear ask from the international community, which is for Afghanistan to stop all forms of activity of terrorist organisations that from Afghanistan represent a threat to neighbouring countries, including Pakistan,” he said, addressing a year-end press conference at the agency’s headquarters in New York.
“We consider that it is absolutely essential for the Taliban not to allow any form of terrorist activity that might have an impact in relation to Pakistan, as in relation to any other country of the region,” he added.
TTP is the largest militant organisation fighting against the state in Pakistan. According to the UN, the TTP also boasts several thousand fighters in Afghanistan, with strongholds on both sides of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Although Pakistan Army offenses, US drone warfare, and factional infighting led to the TTP’s decline from 2014 to 2018, the militant group has been experiencing a strong resurgence since the Afghan Taliban and Washington signed a peace deal in February 2020.
Guterres also urged the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, and the world at large to support Islamabad in dealing with the extended devastation of the flash floods.
He said the UN is holding talks with the authorities in Afghanistan as it believed the Taliban must deliver from the point of view of the interests of the international community and the interest of Afghanistan itself.
‘TERRIBLE’ FLOODS
The secretary-general also urged IMF, World Bank, and the world to support Pakistan in dealing with the aftermath of the floods that wreaked havoc in the country.
He recalled his visit to Pakistan immediately after the floods and was “dramatically impressed by what I’ve seen, three times the area of my own country flooded, terrible loss of crops and of animals and of houses and of life, for the population of Sindh and Balochistan and absolutely devastating situation”.
“I believe the international community has a strong responsibility to support Pakistan which has contributed in a very minimal way to climate change.
“There is a huge responsibility of the international community to support Pakistan in relation to the conference that we’ll have [on] January 9 […] to fully mobilise the resources that are needed,” he stressed.
Talking about his expectations from the Geneva conference on January 9 aimed at rallying support for the flood-hit country for rehabilitation work, the diplomat said Pakistan needs strong support as one-third of the country was under water.
The secretary-general will co-host the international conference with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Guterres said he was in contact with the IMF and World Bank, and expressed hope these organisations would take noteworthy efforts to support Pakistan.
The UN chief said Pakistan deserve and needs a strong expression of international solidarity as floods affected 33 million and killed over 1,700 people.
