Pakistan is home to major terrorist groups, some active since 1980s: US Congressional report

As a March 25 U.S. congressional study highlighted, Pakistan once again faces the consequences of its long-term support for terrorist groups. The report paints a stark picture of Pakistan as a base for numerous armed and terrorist groups, some of which have been active since the 1980s.The groups fall into different categories – globally focused, Afghanistan focused, India focused, domestic or sectarian, the report said. Twelve of them are designated as foreign terrorist organizations under U.S. law, most of them following an Islamic extremist ideology.

The report states that despite major military operations, including airstrikes and hundreds of thousands of intelligence-based operations, Pakistan has been unable to eliminate these groups. Many U.S. and United Nations-designated organizations continue to operate on its territory.Among them are Lashkar-e-TaibaThe organization was founded in the late 1980s and was designated a terrorist organization in 2001. The group, led by Hafiz Saeed and based in Pakistan’s Punjab province and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, later operated under the name Jamaat-ud-Dawa to circumvent sanctions. The group has thousands of militants and is responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks and several other major incidents.Jaish-e-MohammedFounded in 2000 by Masood Azhar and designated in 2001, the group has about 500 fighters active in India, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Other groups such as the Islamic Jihad, the Mujahideen and the Mujahideen are also said to be operating in Pakistan.The report supports India’s long-standing position that Pakistan continues to support such groups. it also mentioned resistance frontThe group is believed to be linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, the group that carried out the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 people. The group has been declared a global terrorist organization.In response to that attack, India launched Operation Sindoor in May 2025. The Indian armed forces carried out coordinated strikes against nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, killing more than 100 militants, instructors and associates. Officials said the attack targeted groups including Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen while minimizing civilian harm.On May 10, Pakistan retaliated by using missiles and drones to attack Indian air force bases, military depots, airports and military areas. However, India’s air defense and counter-drone systems successfully intercepted the attack and prevented damage.

India subsequently carried out attacks on Pakistan’s air bases, command centers and defense systems along the western front. Important bases such as Chakrala, Sargodha, Rafiki, Rahmiyar Khan, Jacob Abad, Sukkur and Bolari were attacked.After the situation escalated, the Director-General of Pakistan’s Directorate-General of Military Operations contacted the Director-General of India’s Directorate-General of Military Operations on May 10 to seek an end to the fighting. Formal talks were held on May 12, and both sides agreed to cease military operations.However, the latest US report has heightened concerns about Pakistan’s continued links to terror groups.