A recent report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the independent research arm of the US Congress, has issued a stark warning about Pakistan’s ongoing role as a haven for terrorist organisations.
These groups, many of which specifically target India and the Kashmir region, continue to operate freely on Pakistani soil despite repeated military operations and policy initiatives over the years.
The CRS document underscores that Pakistan serves a dual purpose for these militants: it acts both as a secure base for planning attacks and, ironically, as a target for their violence. This paradox highlights the complex security challenges facing the nation, where internal and external threats intertwine.
Among the most notorious India-focused groups named in the report are Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). LeT remains infamous for orchestrating the devastating 2008 Mumbai attacks, which claimed over 160 lives, while JeM has been linked to the audacious 2001 assault on the Indian Parliament. Both entities persist in their activities from bases within Pakistan, evading full dismantlement.
Pakistan’s own terrorism landscape has deteriorated sharply in recent times. After a period of decline, with fatalities dropping to just 365 in 2019, the country witnessed a dramatic resurgence. By 2025, terrorism-related deaths had surged to 4,001—the highest in over a decade—marking a troubling reversal of fortunes.
This spike coincides with the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021, which has fuelled a broader resurgence of militancy across the region. The CRS report positions Pakistan as the country most severely impacted by terrorism globally, bearing the brunt of this volatile upswing.
The terrorist outfits active in Pakistan are broadly categorised into five types: those with global ambitions, Afghanistan-oriented groups, entities fixated on India and Kashmir, domestically focused militants, and sectarian organisations. Overwhelmingly, these are driven by Islamist extremist ideologies, lending them a cohesive yet destructive worldview.
Al-Qaeda, though its core operational capacity has been significantly degraded, maintains a lingering presence in the region. It sustains alliances with various extremist networks, ensuring its influence endures despite setbacks from international counter-terrorism efforts.
The Islamic State’s affiliate in the region, known as Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP), poses another grave threat. With an estimated force of 4,000 to 6,000 fighters, ISKP straddles the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, recruiting from the remnants of other radical groups and expanding its footprint.
Domestically, the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) stands out as the deadliest actor within Pakistan’s borders. Boasting between 2,500 and 5,000 fighters, the TTP explicitly seeks to topple the Pakistani government and establish a strict Sharia-based regime, making it a direct internal menace.
These findings from the CRS report come at a time when Pakistan grapples with escalating violence on multiple fronts. The persistence of cross-border groups targeting India complicates diplomatic relations in South Asia, while domestic groups erode national stability.
The report’s insights are particularly timely for US policymakers, as CRS produces these analyses to inform congressional decisions rather than reflect official stances. It serves as a call for renewed vigilance and international cooperation to address the root causes of this enduring terrorist sanctuary.
NDTV
