UNITED NATIONS – Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, on Monday delivered a sharply worded explanation of vote following the UN Security Council’s unanimous adoption of a resolution renewing the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for one year.

While welcoming the resolution — which was steered to consensus by China — Ambassador Ahmad used the floor to spotlight what he called the “alarming rise in the threat of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan,” directly endangering its neighbors, particularly Pakistan.

 The Pakistani envoy named specific groups, he said are operating with impunity inside Afghanistan with the collaboration of elements within the Taliban. These include the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), the Majid Brigade, ISIL-K (Daesh), Al-Qaida, and the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM).

“It is a matter of great concern that elements within the Taliban are actively collaborating with several terrorist groups and providing them with safe havens,” Ambassador Ahmad told the Council. He added that these groups are responsible for cross-border terrorist attacks targeting Pakistani civilians, law enforcement personnel, critical infrastructure, and public places.

The Ambassador said Pakistan expects UNAMA to play a more rigorous and objective role. He called for evidence-based reporting, particularly from areas where terrorist groups have sanctuaries and UN personnel face limited access. “Mere mention of events and developments without context does not serve a useful purpose,” he said.

He also urged the mission to support efforts to curb the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, and to provide concrete analysis on Afghanistan’s illicit economy and the risks of aid diversion, especially involving cash transfers.

Ambassador Ahmad warned the Council to remain “cautious of the role of spoilers who seek to undermine peace in the region, and who peddle information that also plays into the Taliban’s propaganda.” He stressed that UNAMA must be “fair and balanced” and take into account the legitimate security concerns of Afghanistan’s immediate neighbours.

Separately, the Pakistani envoy expressed concern over what he called the “inordinate delay” in appointing a new Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) and head of UNAMA, a position that has remained vacant since last year. He called on the UN Secretary-General to fill the post swiftly.

The Council looks forward to the outcome of the Secretary-General’s strategic review of UNAMA, due by 31 March 2027, for the effective implementation of the mission’s mandate.

Concluding his statement, Ambassador Ahmad reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for UNAMA’s long-term goals of peace, stability, and development in Afghanistan — “a country that is at peace with itself and its neighbours.”