Pakistan presses Taliban at UN on women's rights, cross-border militancy

Pakistan's counsellor at the United Nations has asked the Afghan Taliban administration to lift its restrictions on women and dismantle militant infrastructure inside Afghanistan, telling a General Assembly dialogue that cross-border terrorism remains the central challenge to regional stability.

Counsellor Muhammad Jawad Ajmal made the demand during an interactive dialogue at the UN General Assembly in New York, according to a report in Daily Times. He said denying women basic dignity and access to education contradicts Islamic principles and the commitments Kabul has made internationally.

He urged international forums to hold the Taliban government accountable while support for vulnerable Afghan refugees continues.

On security, the envoy pointed to a sharp rise in militant attacks across Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since 2021. He said Pakistan had evidence of cooperation between the Afghan Taliban and banned militant groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

He referred to military action under Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, describing precision strikes on militant drone and ammunition storage facilities. Pakistan reserves the right to self-defence under international law to protect national security, he said, and border defence protocols remain enforced across all sectors.

The envoy said Pakistan has hosted millions of displaced Afghans for decades and that managing refugee populations requires equitable responsibility-sharing from international partners and aid organisations. He called for backing for peace initiatives that address the root causes of instability inside Afghanistan.

The Diplomatic Insight also carried the statement, reporting that Pakistan urged the Afghan Taliban to end restrictions on women and curb cross-border terrorism.

Separately, the Daily Times report said the Trump administration plans to deport more than 150 Afghan immigrants to Afghanistan, with expulsion flights scheduled to begin via Pakistan. It said US immigration authorities detained dozens of Afghan nationals at facilities in Louisiana, and that the advocacy group #AfghanEvac warned the deportees include relatives of people who served alongside US forces. The Department of Homeland Security declined to confirm timelines for the flights, the report said.