Pakistan calls on the United Nations to prevent weapons from reaching terrorist groups

Pakistan has called on the United Nations to recover abandoned weapons and prevent them from being acquired by groups such as the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), and the Majeed Brigade.

In a statement to the UN Security Council on the management of small arms and light weapons under UN sanctions regimes, Atif Raza, advisor to the Pakistani mission to the UN, said on Saturday: "Armed terrorist groups possess billions of dollars' worth of illicit weapons obtained from Afghanistan and are using them against civilians and Pakistani armed forces."

The Pakistani website Geo News quoted Raza as saying, "These concerns coincide with the growing ability of terrorist groups to develop illegal weapons and acquire modern weapons available to armed groups operating illegally across national borders."

He added: "Pakistan is concerned about the possession and use of weapons by terrorist groups such as the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, which operate with impunity across the border with Afghanistan."

He called on "international partners to recover abandoned weapons stockpiles, prevent terrorist groups from obtaining them, and take measures to halt the active black market for illegal weapons."