New York, March 29: A new US Congressional Research Service (CRS) report has again spotlighted Pakistan as a main base for a wide spectrum of terror organisations, from globally oriented groups including Al Qaeda to India-focused outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), underscoring persistent concerns over terror safe havens in the region.
The report notes that Pakistan continues to serve as an operational ground for numerous armed non-state actors, many active since the 1980s, broadly classified into five categories: global, Afghanistan-oriented, India and Kashmir-focused, domestic, and sectarian terror outfits (anti-Shia).
Of the 15 outfits identified, 12 are designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) under US law, with most driven by Islamist extremist ideology.
According to the CRS brief, several anti-India groups, including LeT and JeM, remain active, operating from Pakistani territory and Pakistan-administered regions of Jammu and Kashmir. These organisations have been linked to major attacks such as the 2008 Mumbai terror strikes and the 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament.
Despite facing severe domestic terrorism, Pakistan has struggled to dismantle these networks. Terror-related fatalities, which had declined to 365 in 2019, have surged sharply in recent years, reaching 4,001 in 2025, the highest in over a decade. The violence is largely concentrated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, particularly along the Afghanistan border.
The report highlights that multiple military offensives and intelligence-based operations by Islamabad have failed to eliminate several US-and UN-designated terrorist groups operating within its borders. While Pakistan has taken “some steps” to curb terror activities, as noted in the US State Department’s Country Reports on Terrorism 2023, concerns remain over radicalisation, including teachings in certain madrassas that may foster extremist ideology.
Islamabad, meanwhile, continues to deny allegations of harbouring militant groups and has accused India of supporting insurgent activities in its western provinces, claims New Delhi has consistently rejected.
The CRS assessment also traces the presence of major global terror outfits such as Al Qaeda and Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP), alongside regionally focused groups like the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network, many of which have operated from or maintained links to Pakistani territory.
Pakistan’s counterterror financing record has also drawn scrutiny in recent years. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) placed the country on its “gray list” in 2018 over deficiencies in tackling terror financing, before removing it in 2022 after Islamabad completed mandated reforms.
The report underscores that, despite periodic crackdowns and international pressure, Pakistan remains one of the countries most affected by terrorism while simultaneously being a key hub for multiple militant organisations with regional and global reach.–(UNI)
