Pakistan, China, Iran and Russia have jointly voiced alarm over the growing threat of terrorist organisations operating from Afghan soil, urging Kabul to take decisive measures against them.
The rare four-nation statement followed the quadripartite meeting on Afghanistan, convened by Russia on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York. The joint declaration highlighted groups such as Al-Qaeda, the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and others as a serious danger to regional and global security.
The four sides called on Afghan authorities to launch “effective, concrete and verifiable” actions against militant networks, dismantle their training camps, cut off their financing streams, and block access to weapons. They further demanded that Afghan territory not be used against neighbouring countries, stressing the need for the non-discriminatory elimination of all terror outfits.
The meeting’s outcome echoed Islamabad’s concerns raised earlier this week, when Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar urged the Taliban-led interim government to ensure its soil is not exploited for cross-border terrorism. Pakistan has seen a spike in militant attacks, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the Taliban takeover in 2021.
With Pakistan and Afghanistan sharing a porous 2,500-kilometre border, officials underscored the urgency of addressing cross-border militancy, while reaffirming support for Afghanistan as an “independent, united and peaceful state free from terrorism, war and narcotics.”
The four nations also welcomed Kabul’s steps to curb opium cultivation but voiced concern over the rise of synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine. On the humanitarian front, they urged the Taliban government to facilitate safe conditions for refugee returns and commended Pakistan and Iran for sheltering millions of displaced Afghans.
The statement concluded with renewed calls for an inclusive Afghan political system, safeguarding women’s rights, and ensuring equal access to education and public life.
The joint warning adds pressure on Kabul at a time when regional patience appears to be thinning over continued militant activity emanating from Afghan soil.