Terrorism in Pakistan is caused by the use of foreign weapons originating mainly from Afghanistan, where the United States military presence has left a surplus of military equipment.
Recent incidents highlight this trend, with the Pakistani military encountering US weapons in the hands of terrorist groups. In a recent operation, security forces foiled a terrorist attack by BLA on Pakistan Navy’s PNS Siddique in Turbat and seized US-made weapons such as M32 grenade launcher and M16/A4 rifles.
Similar encounters in other regions, including North Waziristan and Zhob, also led to the recovery of US weapons. In particular, BLA terrorists have been identified using US weapons in attacks on strategic locations such as the Gwadar Port Authority complex.
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The proliferation of these weapons among terrorist groups underscores the need for strict measures against their proliferation and abuse. The Afghan government’s assurances about the non-use of these weapons within its borders are increasingly being questioned due to evidence of their presence in terrorist activities targeting Pakistan.
The significant amount of combat weapons that the US supplies to the Afghan army further increases the fear of their possible misuse by terrorist organizations.
