US report flags Pakistan again, says India still faces significant threat

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): A recent report by the US Congressional Research Service has once again highlighted concerns over Pakistan’s role in harboring terrorist networks. The findings reaffirm India’s long-standing claims about militant groups operating from Pakistani soil, particularly those targeting Jammu and Kashmir. The report makes serious observations about Pakistan’s continued links to such organizations, exposing contradictions between its claims and ground realities.

According to the report, several terror outfits remain active in Pakistan, posing a persistent threat to India’s security, especially in the Kashmir Valley. Groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Harkat-ul-Jihad Islami, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, and Hizbul Mujahideen continue to operate despite claims of crackdowns. The report notes that while Pakistan often projects efforts to curb terrorism, these groups have not been fully dismantled.

Prepared by South Asia expert K. Alan Kronstadt, the report categorizes terrorist organizations in Pakistan into five types: global, Afghanistan-focused, India-centric, domestic, and sectarian groups. It identifies outfits like Al-Qaeda, Islamic State Khorasan Province, the Taliban and the Haqqani Network among those operating in the region. The report also names domestic groups such as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and Balochistan Liberation Army, along with sectarian outfits, underscoring Pakistan’s long-standing struggle with militancy.

It further states that despite initiatives like the 2014 National Action Plan, Pakistan has failed to eliminate these networks effectively. Large-scale military operations and intelligence efforts have yielded limited results, with many groups continuing their activities. The report concludes that Pakistan not only remains a hub for such organizations but is also increasingly affected by terrorism itself, facing repeated attacks over the years.