THROUGHOUT the outgoing year, the state has struggled to address the resurgent terrorist threat, with the high-frequency attacks taking a major toll, particularly on our security personnel. Most of these attacks have been linked to the banned TTP, or its Tehreek-i-Jihad Pakistan avatar. While it is primarily the state’s responsibility to deal with terrorist threats no matter what their point of origin, the end result of counterterrorism exercises can be negatively affected when militant groups have havens or supporters beyond Pakistan’s borders. The state has for long expressed its dissatisfaction with safe spaces provided to the TTP in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. Now, it has also highlighted India’s apparent role in supporting the terrorist outfit. While speaking at a recent UN Security Council meeting, Pakistan’s ambassador to the multilateral body Munir Akram said there was “clear evidence” the TTP was receiving support from “our main adversary”, without naming New Delhi. He also called for an international probe to determine how sophisticated weapons got into the hands of the TTP. Most of this gear appears to be leftovers the US-led military force dumped in Afghanistan as it headed out before the Taliban takeover. The head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan supported some of Pakistan’s assertions, particularly the fact that “the Afghan de facto authorities have done too little to contain the TTP”.

Pakistan needs to continue to use multilateral fora, as well as bilateral channels, to impress upon the Afghan Taliban that either anti-Pakistan terror outfits be put out of business, or they be prevented from launching attacks in this country. As for Indian involvement, the state has previously also raised this issue. When the Western-backed regime was still in power in Kabul, military and civilian authorities had said they had ample evidence linking India to anti-Pakistan terrorist outfits — including the TTP and Baloch separatist groups — active in Afghanistan. A dossier containing details of India’s malign activities targeting Pakistan was submitted to the UN in 2020. The matter needs to be handled firmly, yet tactfully. India must be communicated in no uncertain terms that the use of Afghan soil for terrorist activities will not be tolerated by Pakistan. Meanwhile, the Taliban must be told that hostile third countries should not be allowed to use their country to harm Pakistan, or else bilateral ties will suffer.

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2023