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A high-level US Congressional report has raised serious alarms regarding South Asian stability, explicitly stating that Pakistan remains a "safe haven" for several US-designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). The report, prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), highlights that groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) continue to operate with relative ease, posing a persistent and direct threat to India’s national security.
Pakistan: Both 'Victim and Sponsor'
The CRS report, authored by South Asia expert K. Alan Kronstadt, presents a complex picture of Pakistan, describing it as both a victim of internal terrorism and a supporter of groups targeting its neighbors. While the Pakistani military has conducted operations against groups like the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the report notes a glaring "lack of will" or "inability" to dismantle the infrastructure of India-centric terror outfits.
Key Findings on India-Targeted Groups
Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT): Despite international pressure and the imprisonment of Hafiz Saeed, the report claims the group has merely rebranded itself as 'Jamaat-ud-Dawa' to bypass sanctions. Its core objective remains the "liberation" of Jammu and Kashmir.
Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM): With an estimated 500 armed cadres, JeM continues to focus its operations on Indian territories and has openly declared war against US interests in the region.
Global Links: These groups are reportedly collaborating with global entities like Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), creating a sophisticated network of radicalization and militancy.
Impact on Regional Stability
The 2026 assessment underscores that as long as terror safe havens exist in Pakistan's Punjab and PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) regions, the potential for a sudden military escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors remains high. The US Intelligence Community's "2026 Annual Threat Assessment" also corroborates these findings, listing Pakistan’s missile developments and terror support as key global risks.
India’s Standing Stance
India has consistently maintained that there can be no "meaningful dialogue" until Pakistan takes "credible, verifiable, and irreversible" action against cross-border terrorism. This latest US report serves as a significant diplomatic endorsement of India's long-standing concerns on the global stage.
