Ishaq Dar Says More Than Two Dozen Terrorist Groups Operate in Afghanistan

NEW YORK (Terror Monitor) — Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has warned that more than two dozen terrorist groups are operating in Afghanistan, saying attacks against Pakistan are being planned from Afghan territory and urging the Taliban authorities to end what Islamabad describes as their support for terrorist organizations.

Dar made the remarks on Tuesday while addressing a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Contact Group on Afghanistan on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. He said developments in Afghanistan had direct implications for regional peace, security and stability.

According to Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, Dar called for “concrete and verifiable” measures to ensure that Afghan territory is not used for terrorism against neighboring countries, particularly Pakistan. He urged the Taliban to end the patronage of terrorist groups and fulfill Afghanistan’s international obligations and commitments.

More Than Two Dozen Groups

Dar said Pakistan was particularly concerned about the presence of more than two dozen terrorist organizations in Afghanistan. He specifically mentioned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its Majeed Brigade, Islamic State Khorasan Province (IS-K), al-Qaeda and the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM).

He said these organizations posed a threat not only to Pakistan but also to regional and international security.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused the TTP and other groups of using Afghan territory to plan and conduct attacks inside Pakistan. Afghan Taliban authorities have rejected accusations that they allow Afghan territory to be used for attacks against Pakistan, making the issue one of the central disputes between Islamabad and Kabul.

Kohat Attack Highlighted

Dar referred to the recent terrorist attack in Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as an example of the continuing security threat facing Pakistan.

Pakistani authorities have reported heavy casualties in recent terrorist attacks in the region. Dar said Pakistan’s law-enforcement agencies had made significant sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and stressed that the country continued to bear the consequences of instability in Afghanistan.

His remarks came amid a sharp deterioration in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, including cross-border clashes and accusations over terrorist activity. The latest escalation has also raised concerns about efforts by Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye to mediate between Islamabad and Kabul.

Taliban Urged to Address Political and Human Rights Issues

Dar also called on the Taliban authorities to protect human rights, honor Afghanistan’s international commitments and create a more politically inclusive system of governance.

He urged the Taliban to lift restrictions on women and girls, which Pakistan says are contrary to Islamic principles and the norms of Muslim societies. He also called for the inclusion of Afghanistan’s ethnic and minority communities in the political system.

Dar further called for an end to human smuggling and urged the Afghan authorities to facilitate the return, resettlement and reintegration of Afghan nationals.

He said Afghanistan’s humanitarian needs and socioeconomic development also required adequate international assistance.

Pakistan Says It Wants a Stable Afghanistan

Dar said Pakistan wanted a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan and argued that few countries had been affected by Afghan instability as deeply as Pakistan.

Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees over several decades and has repeatedly said that instability along the shared border has security, economic and humanitarian consequences.

Dar said the international community and the OIC could play a role in helping Afghanistan become part of the broader international community, but argued that the Taliban would need to create conditions conducive to such engagement.

The OIC Contact Group meeting took place as tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan continued to rise. The two sides have traded accusations over cross-border terrorism, military operations and the use of Afghan territory by terrorist groups, while diplomatic efforts continue to seek a reduction in tensions.