As highlighted in the US Congressional research report of March 25, Pakistan has once again found itself facing the consequences of its long-standing support for terrorist groups. The report presents a clear picture of Pakistan as a base for several armed and terrorist organizations, some of which have been active since the 1980s.According to the report, these groups fall into different categories – globally-focused, Afghanistan-oriented, India-focused, domestic or sectarian. Twelve of them are designated as foreign terrorist organizations under US law, and most adhere to Islamic extremist ideologies.
The report said that despite major military operations, including air strikes and hundreds of thousands of intelligence-based actions, Pakistan has been unable to eliminate these groups. Many organizations designated by the US and the United Nations continue to operate from its soil.These include Lashkar-e-Taiba, which was formed in the late 1980s and designated as 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 circumvent sanctions. The group, which has thousands of fighters, was responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks and several other major incidents.Jaish-e-Mohammed, which was founded by Masood Azhar in 2000 and designated in 2001, has about 500 fighters active in India, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Other groups such as Harkat-ul Jihad Islami, Harkat ul-Mujahideen and Hizbul Mujahideen are also said to operate 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 Lashkar-e-Taiba, which carried out the Pahalgam attack in which 26 people were killed. The group has been declared a global terrorist organization.In response to that attack, India launched Operation Sindoor in May 2025. Indian armed forces carried out coordinated attacks on nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, killing more than 100 terrorists, trainers and associates. Officials said the strikes targeted groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen, while minimizing civilian casualties.On May 10, Pakistan retaliated by using missiles and drones to target Indian Air Force bases, army depots, airports and military areas. However, India’s air defense and counter-drone systems successfully intercepted the attacks, preventing damage.
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After this India attacked Pakistani airbases, command centers and defense systems on the western front. Major targets including Chaklala, Sargodha, Rafiqui, Rahimyar Khan, Jacobabad, Sukkur and Bholari were attacked.Following this escalation, Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart on 10 May to stop the fighting. Formal talks took place on 12 May and both sides agreed to halt military operations.However, the latest US report reinforces concerns that Pakistan has active links with terrorist groups.