A report issued by the US Congressional Research Service has reiterated India’s long-standing concerns regarding the continued presence and activities of militant groups operating from Pakistan, particularly those targeting Jammu and Kashmir.
The analysis highlights that several India- and Kashmir-focused organisations—such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Harakat-ul Jihad Islami, Harakat ul-Mujahidin, and Hizbul Mujahideen—are still active from within Pakistani territory, continuing to pose persistent security threats.
According to the report, Pakistan functions both as a base and a victim of numerous armed non-state actors, many of which have existed since the 1980s. Despite repeated military campaigns and policy interventions, networks that have been designated as terrorist organisations by both the United States and the United Nations have not been completely dismantled.
Prepared by South Asia expert K. Alan Kronstadt to brief US lawmakers, the report classifies these groups into five broad categories: globally oriented organisations, those focused on Afghanistan, groups targeting India and Kashmir, domestically oriented outfits, and sectarian groups, particularly those with anti-Shia agendas. It further notes that 12 out of the 15 identified organisations are listed as Foreign Terrorist Organizations under US law, with most adhering to extremist Islamist ideologies.
Among the globally focused groups, the report names Al Qaeda, Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, and Islamic State Khorasan Province. Groups centred on Afghanistan include the Taliban and the Haqqani Network. Domestically focused organisations mentioned include Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, the Balochistan Liberation Army, and Jaysh al-Adl. Sectarian outfits cited in the report include Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.
The report also references Pakistan’s 2014 National Action Plan, which aimed to eliminate the operation of armed militias within the country. However, it points out that multiple large-scale military offensives, including airstrikes and extensive intelligence-based operations, have not succeeded in eradicating these groups.
It states that despite numerous campaigns involving hundreds of thousands of intelligence-led operations, many organisations designated by the US and the United Nations continue to function within Pakistan.
At the same time, the report acknowledges that Pakistan itself has faced significant consequences from terrorism since 2003 and remains one of the countries most affected by militant violence.
