UNITED NATIONS:A senior Pakistani diplomat has called for a “concerted campaign” to recover all weapons from terrorist groups like Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which reportedly uses safe havens in Afghanistan to launch deadly cross-border attacks inside Pakistan.
“Pakistan is particularly concerned at the acquisition and use of modern and sophisticated small arms by the terrorist groups such as TTP — a UN-listed terrorist organization,” Ambassador Munir Akram said in remarks at the 4th Conference to review the implementation of the UN Programme of Action (UNPoA) on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW).
The 2001 UNPoA , which was backed by all member states, provides the framework for activities to counter the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. Since then, the UN has worked to support the implementation of the UNPoA at national, regional, and international levels.
“Terrorists and criminals do not manufacture these arms,” the Pakistani envoy told delegates, pointing out they acquire them from illicit arms markets or receive them from entities that want to destabilize a particular region or country.
“It is essential to investigate how terrorist groups and criminal organizations acquire such sophisticated weapons,” Ambassador Akram said. “It is the responsibility of all States and the UN to take measures to prevent illicit trade, transfer and diversion of these arms.”
He also said that the illicit proliferation, excessive accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons continue to exacerbate conflicts, fuel terrorism, threaten peace and security and erode sustainable development, with hundreds of thousands of human lives lost each year, terrible suffering inflicted on civilians, and economies and societies devastated.
“The evolving nature of conflicts and the advent of new technologies pose new challenges to combat the proliferation of increasingly lethal small arms — UAVs and drones,” the Pakistani envoy said.
Pakistan, he said, has strengthened its legislative frameworks, enhanced transfer controls, and implemented robust measures to prevent the diversion of SALW to unauthorized users, including safe and secure stockpile management, comprehensive marking, tracking and record keeping.
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