Pakistani security forces have intercepted an attempt to smuggle a significant cache of advanced US-made weapons across the Torkham border from Afghanistan.
Radio Pakistan reported that a diverse array of weaponry was confiscated, including military-grade assault rifles such as the M4, night vision equipment, laser devices, and a substantial quantity of ammunition. Notably, these illicit items were concealed in a vehicle seemingly transporting onions.
The driver associated with this smuggling attempt has been apprehended and taken to an undisclosed location for interrogation, aiming to uncover the weapons’ origin and intended destination.
This incident comes a day after a deadly suicide attack at a police station in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, claiming the lives of 23 Pakistani soldiers and injuring dozens The responsibility for the attack was claimed by a recently formed militant group, Tahreek-e-Jihad Pakistan (TJP), an offshoot of Tahrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Both groups have been implicated in numerous high-profile deadly incidents in the country in recent months.
Following the attack, Pakistan urged the Taliban in Afghanistan to take “strong action” against the perpetrators and hand them over to Pakistan, including the leadership of the TTP. However, the Taliban maintains they harbor no connection to TTP or recent security incidents in Pakistan, asserting that they are not responsible for Pakistan’s internal security concerns.
The backdrop of this incident is marked by the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) report to Congress last February, revealing that nearly $7.2 billion worth of military equipment, including aircraft, guns, vehicles, and specialized gear like night vision goggles and biometric devices, was left behind in Afghanistan after the withdrawal. The Special Inspector was informed by the Pentagon that there “is no realistic way to retrieve the material that remains in Afghanistan, given that the United States does not recognize the Taliban as a government.”
Pakistan asserts that these weapons have fallen into the hands of militant groups like TTP and TJP, fueling their efforts to destabilize the country. In late 2022, Afghan Peach Watch, a US-based organization, reported that abandoned US military equipment, including night vision thermal guns, M4 rifles, and M16 rifles, is being smuggled and sold in Pakistani markets.
Pakistan has witnessed an upswing in terrorist attacks in recent months, with TTP and other militant groups intensifying their violence against the country’s security forces. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have been particularly affected, accounting for the majority of fatalities and attacks.
In response to the escalating security situation, the caretaker government of Pakistan has initiated a crackdown on undocumented Afghan refugees in the country. Reports indicate that over 450,000 individuals have been forcibly deported to Afghanistan since the crackdown began. This move, however, has faced criticism from the UN, rights groups, and Taliban authorities in Afghanistan.
