Pakistan’s New Terror Route? Nepal Warns India of Possible Jaish-Lashkar Attacks
New Delhi(The Uttam Hindu): After the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Indian security agencies were already on high alert. Now, a stark warning from Nepal has intensified those concerns. A top Nepali official has revealed that Pakistan-backed terrorist groups—Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba—may be planning to use Nepalese soil to launch attacks on India.
Speaking at a high-level conference titled "Terrorism in South Asia: Challenges to Regional Peace and Security" in Kathmandu, Nepalese President’s advisor Sunil Bahadur Thapa stated that the open Indo-Nepal border and visa-free travel could be misused by terrorist groups.
Nepali lawmaker Shishir Khanal called for immediate strengthening of border management, intelligence sharing, and joint counter-terror operations. Former Defense Minister Minendra Rijal criticized Pakistan’s state policy of sheltering terrorism, warning it poses danger not just to India and Nepal, but also to Pakistan itself.
This isn't the first red flag. In 2017, a Pakistani terrorist was caught at the Sonauli border. The infamous 1999 IC 814 hijacking originated from Kathmandu. On May 18, 2025, the head of Lashkar’s Nepal module was assassinated in Pakistan. Shockingly, a Nepali national also died in the recent Pahalgam terror strike.
Indian operations like "Operation Sindoor" have already targeted Pakistan-based terror launchpads. But as security tightens along the traditional LOC routes, terror outfits now appear to be eyeing soft infiltration points like the Nepal border.