pakistan-still-shelters-anti-india-terror-groups-us-report

Pakistan continues to harbour multiple militant groups targeting India, according to a recent report by the Congressional Research Service, which highlighted the persistent presence of terror networks despite years of military operations.

 

The report said Pakistan remains both a hub and a target for a range of armed non-state actors, many of which have operated for decades. It noted that successive policy measures have failed to fully dismantle organisations designated as terrorist groups by the United States and the United Nations.

The analysis categorises these outfits into five groups, global, Afghanistan-focused, India-Kashmir oriented, domestic and sectarian, signaling the complex and overlapping nature of militancy in the region.

 

According to the CRS, 12 of the 15 identified groups are listed as Foreign Terrorist Organisations under US law, with “most, but not all, animated by Islamist extremist ideology”.

 

The report also pointed to a sharp rise in terrorism-related fatalities in Pakistan. Deaths, which had dropped to 365 in 2019, climbed to 4,001 in 2025—the highest level recorded in over a decade. It added that Pakistan is currently the country most affected by terrorism, partly due to the resurgence of militant activity following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021.

 

Among globally oriented outfits, Al-Qaeda continues to maintain a presence, although its core has been “seriously degraded”. The report noted that the group still retains links with other networks.

 

The regional branch of the Islamic State, Islamic State – Khorasan Province, is estimated to have between 4,000 and 6,000 fighters operating across Afghanistan and Pakistan.

 

Afghanistan-focused groups such as the Haqqani Network continue cross-border operations, with thousands of fighters linked to major attacks.

The report further highlighted the continued activity of India-focused groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, both of which have been linked to major terror attacks in India.

 

Domestically, the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan was identified as the deadliest outfit, with an estimated 2,500 to 5,000 fighters seeking to overthrow the state and impose Sharia rule.