Islamabad [Pakistan], August 23 : Pakistan has called on the US to repurchase military weapons left behind in Afghanistan following its and its allies' withdrawal from the country back in 2021, warning that these arms are increasingly ending up in the hands of militants and threatening regional security, Khaama Press reported.
According to Khaama Press, citing the Pakistani military spokesperson Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the unregulated circulation of US weaponry poses a direct danger to Pakistan's stability.
The cache of US weapons, estimated by the Pentagon to be worth over USD 7 billion, includes armoured vehicles, advanced firearms, biometric systems, and other sensitive equipment, Khaama Press reported.
Many of these arms are believed to have been seized by the Pakistani Taliban and are now being used in attacks against the country's military forces.
In Afghan black markets like Khost and Paktika, prices for US-made weapons have soared. As per Khaama Press, an M4 rifle now sells for over USD 4,200, while an M16 goes for around USD 1,400. Although Chinese rifles are available at lower prices, militants reportedly prefer the reliability and quality of US models.
According to Khaama Press, citing The Washington Post, up to 400,000 NATO-supplied weapons may now be under Taliban control.
Insurgent groups throughout Pakistan, including Islamist militants in the north and Baloch separatists in the southwest, are said to be actively using these US-origin arms, Khaama Press reported.
Pakistan considers domestic insurgents, particularly the Pakistani Taliban and Baloch separatists, to be its primary security threats. In 2024, attacks from these groups surged by over 45 per cent, Khaama Press reported.
Pakistan's appeal to the US to reclaim abandoned weaponry reflects growing concern over the proliferation of advanced arms in the region. With no effective controls in place, these weapons continue to destabilise the Afghan-Pakistan border and fuel insurgent violence, Khaama Press reported.