US report flags continued presence of anti-India militant groups in Pakistan

A recent assessment by the U.S. Congressional Research Service has underscored ongoing concerns that Pakistan remains a base for multiple militant organisations, including those targeting India and the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir.

The March 25, 2026 “In Focus” report identifies 15 groups operating in or from Pakistan, many designated by the United States as Foreign Terrorist Organizations. It highlights the continued activity of India- and Kashmir-focused groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Harakat-ul-Jihad al-Islami, Harakat ul-Mujahidin and Hizbul Mujahideen, noting that these outfits continue to operate with relative freedom.

According to the report, Lashkar-e-Taiba, formed in the late 1980s, remains active in Pakistan’s Punjab region and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Led by imprisoned figure Hafiz Saeed, the group has reportedly used alternate identities such as Jamaat-ud-Dawa to bypass sanctions and has been linked to major attacks, including the 2008 Mumbai assault.

The report also draws attention to Jaish-e-Mohammed, founded by Masood Azhar, which has operated across India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. It highlights the group’s involvement in the 2001 Indian Parliament attack and notes its stated objective of integrating Jammu and Kashmir with Pakistan, as well as its declared hostility toward the United States.

In addition to regionally focused groups, the report points to the presence of global networks such as Al-Qaeda and Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent. It states that despite extensive counterterrorism operations, including airstrikes and intelligence-led missions, many US- and UN-designated groups continue to operate within Pakistan.

While acknowledging that Islamabad took some measures in 2023 to curb militant activity, the report raises concerns about the continued influence of certain religious institutions in spreading extremist ideologies. It also references Pakistan’s 2014 National Action Plan, noting that its goal of eliminating armed groups has yet to be fully realised.

Authored by South Asia expert K. Alan Kronstadt, the report describes Pakistan as facing a dual challenge—tackling internal security threats such as separatist unrest in Balochistan and instability in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while also being accused of allowing anti-India militant networks to persist.

It categorises militant groups in Pakistan into five overlapping types: globally oriented, Afghanistan-focused, India- and Kashmir-focused, domestically driven, and sectarian. The findings reinforce India’s long-standing position that cross-border militancy remains a major obstacle to regional peace, with New Delhi calling for stronger action against such networks.