Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad. photo: file
Pakistan has alerted the United Nations to abandoned and illegally transferred small arms in Afghanistan, warning that they threaten regional peace and security.
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations, told the Security Council during an open debate on small arms that the uncontrolled accumulation of weapons fuels conflicts.
“Small arms are neither small nor light in their impact. They are the second most used weapon in global terrorist attacks after explosives,” he said.
The envoy expressed deep concern over stockpiles of sophisticated weapons and munitions left in Afghanistan, either abandoned by foreign forces or sold illegally on black markets. “Reports indicate that these weapons pose a direct threat to neighboring countries,” he said.
He warned that terrorist groups – including ISIL-K, TTP, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), called “Fitna al-Khawarij” by the ISPR, and the Majeed Brigade – have acquired and used these modern weapons against Pakistani civilians and law enforcement agencies, causing thousands of deaths.
“The cross-border movement of unmarked or unregistered weapons fuels non-state armed groups, terrorist networks and criminal gangs, undermining regional security,” he added. Pakistan called for stronger international efforts to prevent illicit arms flows and called on Afghan authorities to respect their obligations.
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Ambassador Iftikhar also highlighted the challenges posed by emerging technologies, including AI-based weapons, drones, 3D printed firearms, night vision equipment and cryptocurrency-based arms trade, which complicate efforts to control illicit arms.
He highlighted the United Nations Program of Action on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons as a framework for global cooperation and called for its full implementation at the national and international levels to safeguard peace and security.
Evolving threats and the need for global cooperation
Apart from small arms, Pakistan highlighted its long-standing contribution to UN peacekeeping. The envoy noted that Pakistan hosts one of the premier UN missions, the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), and is among the world’s largest and oldest troop contributors.
“For seven decades, more than 237,000 Pakistani peacekeepers have served in 48 missions across four continents, of whom 182 have made the ultimate sacrifice for international peace and security,” he said.
He warned that UN peacekeeping operations are at a “critical crossroads”, facing political, financial and operational pressures, including a persistent liquidity crisis caused by the declining commitment of some member states.
Despite these challenges, he said, peacekeeping remains highly effective and cost-effective, with an annual budget of around $5.5 billion, or less than 0.3 percent of global military spending, to save lives, monitor ceasefires, protect civilians and stabilize fragile regions.
Ambassador Iftikhar presented several measures aimed at strengthening UN peacekeeping operations. He said mandates must be realistic, achievable and guided by political objectives, while troop and police contributing countries must be fully involved in the formulation, review and transitions of mandates, which must be based on conditions rather than fixed timetables.
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The safety and security of peacekeepers must remain a top priority, with stronger accountability and deterrence measures. He called for strengthening regional partnerships under Chapter VIII, as called for in Security Council Resolution 2719, and stressed that technology and innovation should complement, not replace, human presence. The new mission modalities must preserve the neutrality, legitimacy and accountability of UN peacekeeping operations, and the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (C-34) must remain actively engaged to ensure legitimacy and ownership of decisions by Member States.
“Pakistan does not view peacekeeping as a panacea, nor as a replaceable solution,” he added, reaffirming the country’s commitment to ensuring that UN operations remain credible, adequately resourced and firmly anchored in the principles of the UN Charter.
