ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has told the United Nations that more than 4,700 Pakistanis have been killed in terrorism originating from Afghanistan over the past three years.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN Asim Iftikhar Ahmad made the remarks during a UN Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security held to mark the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
“More than 4,700 innocent Pakistanis have lost their lives to terrorism emanating from Afghanistan over the last three years,” Ahmad said.
He accused groups including the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its Majeed Brigade of operating from sanctuaries in Afghanistan with impunity.
The Pakistani envoy also alleged that these groups receive significant external support and said the BLA had been able to operate freely in the absence of restrictive measures and sanctions from the Security Council.
Ahmad called for effective action against other militant groups, including the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and the regional Daesh affiliate ISIL.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghan authorities of allowing militants to operate from Afghan territory and cross the border to carry out attacks against Pakistani security forces.
Separately, Pakistani security forces killed four TTP-affiliated militants in Kurram district on Friday, according to state media.
One of those killed was identified as Afghan national Ubaidullah Saad. The Associated Press of Pakistan reported that Saad was a resident of Shah Qila village in Afghanistan’s Logar province.
APP said Saad had been involved in multiple terrorist activities in Pakistan.