Leftover weapons in Afghanistan fueling terrorist attacks: Pakistan tells UN

Pakistan has raised the alarm at the United Nations over major stockpiles of advanced weapons in Afghanistan being used to carry out attacks inside Pakistan, posing a serious threat to regional security.

During an open debate at the UN Security Council on small arms held on November 10 2025, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, urged the international community to step in and block the flow of such arms.

Ambassador Ahmad emphasised that many of the illicit weapons intercepted at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border can be traced back to stockpiles left behind by foreign forces in Afghanistan or to unmarked and unregistered arms traded on the black market.

He said these sophisticated weapons are now in the hands of non-state actors, which operate from Afghan territory and have used the arms to target civilians and security forces.

Highlighting the regional dimension, Ahmad warned that the movement of small arms and light weapons across borders not only undermines Pakistan’s counter-terrorism efforts but also disrupts socio-economic progress, weakens the rule of law, and threatens human rights in the broader region.

He noted that small arms have become “instruments of choice” for terrorist and criminal groups and that current control measures are lagging behind technological advances in weapons manufacturing and arms smuggling.

As part of its appeal, Pakistan called for full implementation of the UN’s “Programme of Action on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects”, linking national efforts with international obligations.

Islamabad also urged the interim Afghan authorities to take concrete and verifiable action against groups using their territory as a safe haven.

With cross-border clashes and militant incursions continuing to strain Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, this intervention at the UN underscores Islamabad’s demand for stronger international solidarity and enforcement to close the arms pipeline fueling terror in the region