Munir Akram, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, asked the Taliban not to threaten the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of neighbouring countries.
During the UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday, he said that threatening the territorial integrity of these countries in the short or long term is not beneficial to Afghanistan.
This is the first time that Pakistan, a long-time supporter of the Taliban, has accused the group of threatening the territorial integrity of other countries at an international meeting.
Earlier, Abbas Stanikzai, deputy foreign minister of the Taliban, had said that the Taliban does not recognise the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, known as the Durand Line. He once again repeated the territorial claims of previous Afghan governments against Pakistan.
Unlike the past, Akram refrained from supporting the Taliban during the Security Council meeting, indicating Pakistan's dissatisfaction with the Afghan Taliban for failing to curb attacks by Pakistani militants from Afghan territory against Pakistani security forces.
Akram, who seemed aligned with nations critical of the Taliban in the Security Council, said that the group should fulfil all international obligations of Afghanistan and adhere to international laws. He urged the UN to conduct an inquiry into the financial and weapon resources of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
Addressing the dire humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, the Pakistani diplomat emphasised that the UN lacks the necessary funds for humanitarian aid in the region. Consequently, he called on countries to contribute for the revitalisation of the Afghan economy and the release of frozen assets in Western nations.
