Pakistan called for a renewed and comprehensive global counter-terrorism architecture at the United Nations Security Council, marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks by urging international bodies to close regulatory gaps and strengthen existing sanctions regimes against evolving threats.Speaking in New York on September 12, 2026, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, opened the briefing by paying tribute to the victims of the 9/11 attacks—noting that seven Pakistanis were among the dead—and expressed solidarity with the government and people of the United States, according to Radio Pakistan and SABAH News.
UN Security Council Gaps and Evolving Threats
Photo: wenewsenglish.comAccording to reports from SABAH News, Ambassador Ahmad told the Security Council that while the international community responded with swift resolve 25 years ago through measures like Resolution 1373, the global terrorism landscape has since mutated. The Pakistani envoy stressed that current sanctions regimes are no longer sufficient to combat modern security challenges, pointing to the rise of far-right extremist movements, regional militant threats in Africa, the Middle East, and Afghanistan, and the exploitation of emerging technologies.Terrorists are increasingly using the dark web, virtual assets, and cryptocurrencies for financing and recruitment, Ahmad warned, stating that absent regulation, these financial channels will multiply the threat. He also highlighted how extremist groups weaponize modern information and communication technologies for propaganda and online radicalization.
Domestic Toll and Afghanistan-Based Militancy
Photo: sabahnews.netDetailing Pakistan’s frontline role in the international campaign that degraded Al-Qaida, Ambassador Ahmad emphasized the heavy toll his country has borne over the past two decades. According to Radio Pakistan and SABAH News, more than 90,000 Pakistanis—including civilians and security personnel—have lost their lives to terrorist violence since the turn of the century, alongside sustained economic damage.Turning to immediate regional security, Ahmad reported that over 4,700 Pakistanis have died over the past three years due to terrorism originating from Afghanistan, according to WeNews English. He specifically called out groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its Majeed Brigade, the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), arguing that certain groups operate from Afghan sanctuaries with external backing and lack proper Security Council sanctions designation.
From Instagram — related to pakistan urges strengthen global, Terrorism ActionThe Pakistani mission urged the international community to adopt a balanced approach covering all four pillars of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, focusing on root causes while maintaining strict accountability. Ahmad noted that accountability must also extend to situations of foreign occupation, asserting that occupying powers should not be allowed to act with impunity against populations seeking self-determination.
