Pakistan Denies US Claims Linking Banned Group to Pahalgam Attack

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Pakistan has firmly rejected United States allegations linking the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) group to the April 22, 2025, terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives. The Foreign Office (FO) in Islamabad dismissed the US designation of The Resistance Front (TRF) as a terrorist proxy of LeT, asserting that Pakistan has dismantled such networks and accusing India of exploiting terrorism for political gain. This stance underscores Pakistan’s commitment to counterterrorism while highlighting regional tensions.

The US State Department, on July 18, 2025, designated TRF a “foreign terrorist organization,” alleging its role in the Pahalgam attack and its ties to LeT, a Pakistan-based militant group banned years ago. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called TRF a “front and proxy” for LeT, responsible for the deadliest civilian attack in India since 2008, per Reuters. Pakistan’s FO countered that investigations into the Pahalgam incident remain inconclusive, with no evidence linking TRF to LeT. “Pakistan has comprehensively dismantled such outfits, prosecuted their leadership, and deradicalized members,” spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan stated, as reported by Pakistan Today.

The FO further criticized India for misusing terrorism designations to push anti-Pakistan propaganda, alleging it distracts from human rights violations in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Khan urged the international community to adopt an evidence-based approach and designate the Majeed Brigade as an alias of the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). This aligns with Pakistan’s narrative of being a frontline state against terrorism, citing actions like the arrest of Sharifullah, linked to the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing in Kabul.