From LeT to JeM: US report flags Pakistan as hub for terror groups targeting India, Kashmir

A fresh brief by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) has highlighted that Pakistan continues to host a range of militant organisations, including several groups focused on India and the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. The report underscores that outfits long associated with attacks in India remain active despite years of military operations and counter-terror measures. 

The CRS “In Focus” report, updated on March 25, 2026, identifies Pakistan as a base of operations and a target location for numerous armed non-state militant groups, some of which have existed since the 1980s. It categorises the groups into several types — globally oriented organisations, Afghanistan-focused militants, India- and Kashmir-oriented groups, domestically focused outfits, and sectarian groups. 

According to the report, 12 of the 15 organisations listed are designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) under US law, and most are driven by Islamist extremist ideology. 

India- and Kashmir-focused militant groups 

The report highlights several groups historically linked to attacks against India. 

Among them is Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), founded in the late 1980s and based in Pakistan’s Punjab province and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Led by Hafiz Saeed, the group has been responsible for multiple high-profile attacks, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks. 

Another organisation flagged is Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), founded by Masood Azhar in 2000. The group has been linked to several major attacks in India, including the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, and seeks the annexation of Indian-administered Kashmir to Pakistan. 

The CRS report also lists Harakat-ul Jihad Islami (HUJI), which was formed during the Afghan conflict in the 1980s and later redirected its activities toward India, and Harakat-ul-Mujahidin (HuM), which has operated from Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir and was involved in the 1999 Indian Airlines Flight 814 hijacking that led to the release of Masood Azhar. 

Another key militant group mentioned is Hizbul Mujahideen, formed in 1989 and described as one of the oldest militant organisations operating in Indian-administered Kashmir, with cadres largely drawn from ethnic Kashmiris seeking either independence for the region or its merger with Pakistan. 

Globally and Afghanistan-oriented groups 

The CRS brief also points to the presence of globally oriented jihadist groups in Pakistan. Among them is Al-Qaeda, founded in 1988 by Osama bin Laden. Although weakened after years of US counter-terror operations — including the 2011 killing of bin Laden — the network historically operated from Pakistan’s former Federally Administered Tribal Areas. 

The report also notes the activities of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), formed in 2014 and implicated in attacks in Pakistan, including a failed attempt to hijack a Pakistani naval frigate. 

Another group operating in the region is Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISKP), a regional affiliate of the Islamic State that emerged in Afghanistan in 2015 and has fighters drawn from former members of Pakistani Taliban factions and other militant groups. 

Militancy linked to Afghanistan 

Groups connected to developments in Afghanistan also feature prominently in the report. 

The CRS highlights the role of the Afghan Taliban, which ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 and returned to power in 2021 under leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. The report notes that the movement’s leadership was long believed to operate from Pakistani cities such as Quetta, Karachi and Peshawar during the years following the US invasion of Afghanistan. 

It also references the Haqqani Network, founded by Jalaluddin Haqqani and now led by Sirajuddin Haqqani. The network has been linked to numerous attacks and kidnappings in Afghanistan and is believed to operate near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. 

Domestic and sectarian militant groups 

The report identifies Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as the deadliest terrorist group operating within Pakistan. Formed in 2007 and led by Noor Wali Mehsud, the TTP seeks to overthrow the Pakistani state and establish a strict interpretation of Islamic law. 

Ethno-separatist organisations such as the Balochistan Liberation Army and Jaish al-Adl are also mentioned. These groups operate primarily in Pakistan’s Balochistan province and target Pakistani security forces and infrastructure projects. 

In addition, the CRS lists sectarian groups including Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan and its offshoot Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, which are anti-Shia militant organisations with links to broader jihadist networks. 

Rising terrorism fatalities 

The CRS analysis notes that Pakistan has suffered heavily from domestic terrorism since 2003, with fatalities peaking in 2009. After several years of decline, however, attacks have surged again in recent years. 

According to data cited in the report, terrorism-related deaths rose sharply to around 4,001 in 2025 — the highest toll in more than a decade. A majority of the fatalities occurred in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, particularly along the Afghanistan border. 

Despite Pakistan launching multiple military offensives and intelligence-based operations, the report concludes that numerous US- and UN-designated terrorist groups continue to operate on Pakistani soil, underscoring persistent regional security concerns for neighbouring countries, including India.