TTP’s Rising Threat as Regional Terror Hub

Pakistan has raised serious concerns at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) about the increasing threat posed by the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which is reportedly becoming an umbrella organization for several regional terror groups. Ambassador Munir Akram, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, delivered this warning during a UNSC meeting on Tuesday, highlighting that Afghanistan’s instability and the presence of over 20 terrorist organizations in the country are fueling insecurity across the region.

Ambassador Akram’s remarks come as Pakistan struggles with a rise in terrorism, with the Global Terrorism Index 2025 ranking the country as the second-most affected nation globally. The report noted a 45% increase in terrorism-related deaths, from 748 in 2023 to 1,081 in 2024, and a dramatic surge in terrorist attacks, with more than 1,000 incidents recorded in the last year.

The report further connects the surge in terrorism with the rise of the Afghan Taliban to power in Kabul, where the TTP has reportedly operated with impunity. The TTP is now the largest terrorist group in the region, with around 6,000 fighters, and has carried out numerous cross-border attacks against Pakistan, causing substantial casualties. Ambassador Akram accused the Afghan authorities of being complicit in allowing TTP’s operations and criticized their failure to curb terrorism emanating from Afghan soil.

In a recent example of Pakistan’s continued fight against terrorism, security forces thwarted an attack on the Bannu Cantonment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing 16 militants but suffering losses of five soldiers and 13 civilians. Additionally, the arrest of Daesh-Khorasan operative Mohammad Sharifullah, connected to the 2021 Kabul airport suicide attack, marked a significant intelligence success for Pakistan.

Ambassador Akram further stressed that the TTP is collaborating with other groups like the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and the Majeed Brigade, which aim to destabilize Pakistan and disrupt its economic ties with China. He also criticized the UN Secretary-General’s report for neglecting the terrorism issue in Afghanistan, stating that Pakistan would push for the creation of a working group to address counterterrorism efforts within the Doha process.

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Pakistan’s efforts to combat terrorism continue despite the growing threats, with the government urging the international community to hold Afghanistan accountable for the safe havens it provides to these terror groups.