pakistan flag Pakistan is stepping up efforts to support terrorism in India.
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Indian flag. India is under threat of terrorism.
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Pakistan's ongoing support for terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has escalated in recent months, as the country intensifies efforts to fuel unrest in the region.
Reports indicate that terror groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), along with other jihadi factions, are increasing their activities, reportedly at the behest of Pakistan's military establishment.
These groups have been instructed to operate under the banner of the Jammu & Kashmir Ghaznavi Force (JKGF), which was banned by India in February 2023. The move highlights Pakistan’s continued involvement in fomenting instability in J&K, especially since the revocation of Article 370 in August 2019, which ended the region's special status.
Pakistan has repeatedly attempted to consolidate anti-India terror outfits under a unified front. Since its removal from the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) “grey list” in October 2022, Islamabad has been emboldened to revive proxy warfare strategies. The country’s intelligence agencies have worked to create new terror groups, drawing on existing ones like LeT and JeM, to obfuscate their activities from global monitoring organisations.
A particularly alarming development was Pakistan’s attempt to form Tehreek-e-Taliban Kashmir (TTK) in 2022, with political leaders in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) tasked with promoting anti-India sentiment and calling for a revival of jihad in the region. India’s ''zero tolerance against terrorism" policy has put Pakistan in a precarious position, as any escalation could result in a military response. India has repeatedly used cross-border military strikes in the past, including the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, and may respond similarly if attacks linked to Pakistan-based outfits occur.
In January 2025, Anwar ul Haq, the so-called "Prime Minister" of PoJK, made disturbing remarks calling for jihad against India, pledging to mobilize resources to oust Indian forces from J&K. This rhetoric was widely condemned by Kashmiri leaders, who described it as a serious threat to regional peace. Analysts have urged India to take these provocations to international platforms, including the United Nations and FATF, to hold Pakistan accountable.
Despite being removed from FATF’s grey list, Pakistan remains under scrutiny for its role in supporting terrorism. Past instances of being added to the list—most recently from 2018 to 2022 —have shown that any increase in terrorist activities could lead to renewed international scrutiny, especially as Pakistan struggles with its ongoing economic challenges.
Since the constitutional changes in J&K, Pakistan has shifted tactics by relying on local proxy groups like The Resistance Front (TRF) and the People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), which have carried out targeted attacks on Indian security forces and religious minorities. These groups allow Pakistan to continue fueling unrest while avoiding direct sanctions.
In a further attempt to inflame tensions, Pakistani leadership, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Syed Asim Munir, visited PoJK to mark "Kashmir Solidarity Day" in early 2025. This move served to further internationalise Pakistan’s false narrative about J&K while attempting to provoke the local population.
Pakistan’s promotion of terrorism in J&K contradicts international counterterrorism agreements, particularly the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's (SCO) Astana Declaration, which advocates for comprehensive measures to eliminate terrorism. India is expected to leverage this framework to expose Pakistan’s support for cross-border terrorism, further isolating Islamabad on the global stage.
As Pakistan escalates its efforts to destabilise Jammu and Kashmir, India remains committed to defending its sovereignty and pursuing multiple avenues, including military responses and diplomatic pressure, to counter the growing threat.