Most dangerous nation: Govt dossier exposes Pak’s global terror network
The government on Wednesday unveiled a dossier detailing Pakistan’s global terror trail, spanning from Kashmir and Afghanistan to Russia, the UK, and Bangladesh, labelling it as one of the most dangerous forces in the world. The document lists terror training camps hosted by Pakistan across Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Waziristan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
These camps, operated by groups such as Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) and transnational outfits like ISIS-Khorasan, serve as hubs for radicalisation, weapons training and suicide mission preparation. Former Pakistani Army personnel often assist in training, lending military expertise to enhance operational lethality, it says.
The move comes a day after India, citing Pakistan Defence Minister Khwaja Asif’s admission on financing terror networks, stated at the UN that his confession exposed Pakistan as a rogue state fuelling global terrorism and destabilising the region. This also coincides with growing calls to designate Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism. “India must pursue diplomatic channels to achieve this,” said former ambassador to Bangladesh Veena Sikri.
Top sources on Wednesday reinforced the assertion that “Pakistan is a rogue state” highlighting its record in sponsoring, sheltering and exporting terrorism as one of the most dangerous and destabilising forces globally. “For decades, Pakistani soil has been used as a launchpad for cross-border terrorism, insurgency and extremist ideology,” the sources said, citing instances listed in the document where terror attacks were traced back to Pakistan.
They flagged statements of top Pakistani leaders, including former PM Nawaz Sharif’s 2018 suggestion that Pakistan-based LeT played a role in the Mumbai terror attacks and former President Pervez Musharraf’s remarks that Pakistani forces trained militant groups to fight India in J&K.
The dossier prominently features Asif’s admission that Pakistan supported terrorist groups for over three decades. It also tracks evidence of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism across multiple countries, portraying Pakistan as a global terror exporter. In Afghanistan, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has backed the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network, responsible for numerous deadly attacks, including the 2008 Indian Embassy bombing in Kabul and the 2011 attack on the US Embassy.
In Russia, the sources mention how Pakistan’s link was found in the 2024 Moscow concert hall attack, with reports suggesting the attackers may have had logistical or ideological support from Pakistani networks. The dossier also states Pakistan-based Sunni extremist group Jaish ul-Adl has repeatedly targeted Iranian security forces in Sistan and Baluchestan province, prompting Iran’s accusations that Pakistan harbours militants staging cross-border attacks.
The document references the 2005 London bombings, where the perpetrators had ties to training and indoctrination in Pakistan. Most notably, it recalls the US raid in Abbottabad that killed Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, exposing systemic failures in Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts and raising suspicions of ISI collusion, given his proximity to Pakistan’s Military Academy.
Further, the dossier details Pakistan’s ISI training and funding Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), the banned group behind the 2016 Gulshan café attack in Dhaka, which killed 20 hostages. In 2015, Bangladeshi authorities expelled Pakistani diplomats for funnelling funds to JMB operatives. A 2020 intelligence report revealed ISI’s involvement in training 40 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar camps through JMB, aiming to infiltrate them into India. JMB’s network, funded via Gulf-based NGOs and Pakistani intermediaries, extends to Bangladesh and India, with sleeper cells identified in West Bengal and Kerala.
Officials assert that there is substantial evidence of Pakistan’s role as a rogue state fuelling global terrorism, a stance India reiterated at the UN regarding its neighbour.
US pushes for de-escalation as tension rises
New Delhi: Amid the rising military tensions between India and Pakistan, the US has said it is reaching out to both the nations asking them not to escalate the matter.
US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, at a media briefing in Washington DC on Tuesday, said: “We are reaching out to both parties and telling them not to escalate the situation.” Earlier, a US State Department statement said the US was in touch with Pakistan and India leadership.
As part of its efforts, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called up Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday evening. Rubio is likely to speak to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have expressed concern over the escalating tensions and urged both nations to exercise restraint. — TNS
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