UNITED NATIONS, March 15: Saying that a comprehensive approach is required to address the challenges of terrorism and criminal violence and insurgency in Afghanistan, Pakistan on Tuesday asserted “the failure to do so cannot be externalised.”.

Addressing the UN Security Council on the situation in Afghanistan, Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram stressed that joint counter-terrorism operations with Afghanistan must be conducted with full adherence to the principles of international law, including those incorporated in the Kabul Declaration, regarding respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference.

“Pakistan will not countenance any violation of these principles”, he declared.

Mr Akram pointed out that “the terrorist and violent incidents in Afghanistan are taking place in not only the South or South-East but in various other parts of the country. They can be prevented by effective action within Afghanistan by the Afghan national and international coalition forces. To ensure success, the root causes of such violence –- extremism, warlord-ism, the narcotics trade, local rivalries –- will all need to be addressed patiently and sincerely.”

Emphasising that the border security and control is essential to prevent infiltration into Pakistan for Afghanistan of terrorists or violent criminals, Mr Akram said Pakistan had deployed 80,000 troops to do so on our side.”

“A matching effort is required on the other side if the hammer and anvil strategy is to work, and this endeavour cannot succeed without close cooperation in intelligence sharing –- and in real time. We can achieve this in the Tripartite Commission as well as through close and constant bilateral contacts”, he added.

“We have deployed over 80,000 troops on our Western border with Afghanistan to prevent the infiltration or ex-filtration by Al-Qaeda and other terrorists. Concurrently, we are investing in infrastructure and socio-economic developments of these so far unsettled frontier regions. Pakistan has also launched major military operations in some of our tribal areas to eliminate the presence of foreign terrorists and their supporters. Over 600 Pakistani soldiers have lost their lives in the 75 operations conducted by Pakistani security forces. And may I remind that these casualties are larger than all of those suffered by the coalition and other forces in Afghanistan.”