Pakistan once again finds itself facing the consequences of long-term support for terrorist groups, as highlighted in a March 25 US Congressional research report. The report presents a stark picture of Pakistan as a base for numerous armed and terrorist organizations, some of which have been active since the 1980s.According to the report, these groups are divided into different categories: global-oriented, Afghanistan-oriented, India-oriented, local, or sectarian. Twelve of them are designated as foreign terrorist organizations under US law, most of which follow extremist Islamic ideologies.
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Pakistan’s terror links under global microscope, US Congress report echoes India’s claims on terrorism
The report notes that despite major military operations, including airstrikes and hundreds of thousands of intelligence-based actions, Pakistan has been unable to eliminate these groups.
Many organizations designated by the United States and the United Nations continue to operate from its territory.Among them is the Lashkar-e-Taiba, which was formed in the late 1980s and designated a terrorist organization in 2001. Led by Hafiz Saeed and based in Pakistan’s Punjab province and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, it later operated under the name Jamaat-ud-Dawa to evade sanctions. The group, which has thousands of fighters, was responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks and several other major incidents.
JeM, which was founded by Masood Azhar in 2000 and was also designated in 2001, has about 500 fighters active across India, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Other groups such as the Islamic Jihad Movement, Harkat al-Mujahideen and Hizbul Mujahideen are also said to be operating from Pakistan.The report supports India’s long-standing position that Pakistan continues to support such groups. It also mentions the Resistance Front, believed to be linked to the Lashkar-e-Taiba, which carried out the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 people.
The group has been classified as a global terrorist organization.In response to this attack, India launched Operation Sindoor in May 2025. Indian armed forces carried out coordinated strikes on nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, killing more than 100 militants, trainers and aides. The officials said the strikes targeted groups such as JeM, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen while minimizing harm to civilians.On May 10, Pakistan responded by targeting Indian Air Force bases, army depots, airports and military areas using missiles and drones. However, Indian air defense and counter-drone systems successfully intercepted the attacks and prevented damage.
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India then carried out strikes on Pakistani air bases, command centers and defense systems along the Western Front. Major bases including Chaklala, Sargodha, Rafiqi, Rahimyar Khan, Jacobabad, Sukkur and Bholari were hit.Following this escalation, Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations called his Indian counterpart on May 10 to request a halt to the fighting. Official talks were held on May 12, and both sides agreed to stop military operations.However, the latest US report reinforces fears that Pakistan’s links to terrorist groups remain active.
