It’s official, folks, and frankly, it’s beyond disturbing. We’re talking about terrorist groups in Pakistan not just getting a nod from the state, but openly rubbing shoulders with the country’s top military brass and police officials. As India gears up its diplomatic efforts to get this message out, it’s crucial to remember: this isn’t just an India-Pakistan squabble. Far from it.
Pakistani elements, it turns out, have been actively stoking terrorism everywhere from the plains of Africa to the bustling cities of Europe and even here in the United States. So, when our delegations hit the road, they shouldn’t just be focused on “Operation Sindoor”; they absolutely must shine a light on the dangerous activities these terrorist groups are cooking up across the globe.
Partying With The Lashkar
First off, there’s that bombshell video that just surfaced. It shows a Pakistani politician openly boasting that the notorious, UN-designated Lashkar terrorist, Hafiz Saeed, was his “second team” – practically family. And who’s right there, watching this unfold? Saeed’s son, Talha Saeed (also a designated terrorist), and Saifullah Kasuri, a guy with more aliases than you can shake a stick at. Just days before this footage came out, Kasuri had – after weakly denying any involvement in the Pahalgam attack – been out on the streets, publicly threatening India in his speeches.
What’s more, other senior Lashkar leaders – individuals who’ve typically stayed far from the public eye – also made appearances at various points, openly whipping up the crowds with calls for jihad. All signs point to a clear, defiant hand from the Pakistani army, seemingly giving these terrorists free rein.
Secondly, and this is a chilling reality, Pakistani politicians actually need these figures to secure votes. You had prominent political heavyweights, including close allies of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif like Food Minister Malik Rasheed Ahmad Khan and Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, right there at that rally. Take Malik Ahmed Khan, for example. He hails from a political dynasty, elected from Kasur – a hotspot for the most outrageous blasphemy fabrications and, frankly, a hunting ground for jihadis of all stripes. His gall in demanding India ‘prove’ Saifullah’s involvement in the attack is simply audacious. His own chief of police could hand him a whole dossier on the guy! Besides, Saifullah’s whole rap sheet is an open book to both US intelligence and India. He’s hardly a shrinking violet in the global terrorist scene.
… And In Nigeria
Meanwhile, switch continents, and another disturbing narrative emerges. The Nigerian army recently nabbed four Pakistanis, accusing them of training none other than Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). While Boko Haram once pledged allegiance to ISIS before going their separate ways, both groups remain absolutely ruthless.
Remember Boko Haram? They first grabbed headlines in 2014 after kidnapping over 200 schoolchildren – mostly girls – from Chibok, Nigeria. ISWAP, on the other hand, is a Salafist group infamous for its indiscriminate executions of non-believers. Pretty grim company, wouldn’t you say, for Pakistan? Nigeria, understandably, is now looking for intelligence cooperation, and Delhi absolutely must oblige.
Europe Gets a Jolt Too
Europe’s not immune either. Just a few months back, Spanish police concluded a massive, three-year-long operation across Spain, leading to the arrest of over 30 Pakistanis. That probe then spilled over, snagging another 11 individuals in Barcelona. The target? A network of cells, some even involving women, reportedly radicalizing young people through encrypted channels and a surprisingly strong, hierarchical setup.
In short, this wasn’t some loose-knit group; it was a highly organized operation with a clear, sinister purpose. While reports tied them to the ‘Pakistani Taliban,’ it’s worth noting that label has become pretty broad, covering everyone from common criminals to hardcore jihadis.
Last year, the European Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation also revealed that authorities in Romania, Italy, and Austria had busted a massive criminal network. These guys were reportedly abusing work visas to smuggle over 500 migrants – Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, and Egyptians – into various EU countries. Twelve suspects were formally identified in total. A Joint Working Group is now digging deeper into this continent-spanning operation.
And the list keeps going. In the US, a Pakistani man based in Canada, Shahzab Jadoon, was arrested for allegedly plotting a mass attack against Jews in New York City. Over in Paris, a Pakistani national received a 30-year sentence for his part in attacking a newspaper office. Seriously, the examples are endless.
Oh, but there’s more. Just in February, Indonesian authorities nabbed three Pakistanis who, get this, were trying to enter the country on patently fake French passports. Indonesia has seen other cases of Pakistanis entering illegally, including one individual who was actually wanted by INTERPOL. No surprise, then, that Indonesia has been a strong ally for India following the Pahalgam incident.
‘Traditional Terrorism’ Lingers On
Then, let’s not forget, Pakistan is also a known sponsor of terrorism against Iran. An absolutely irate Tehran finally took matters into its own hands last year, bombing the camps of Jaish ul Adl after Islamabad repeatedly ignored pleas to rein in their activities.
And the Afghanistan saga? That goes back decades, kicking off in the late 1970s. Fast forward to today, and the problem has turned inward, with Pakistan now crying foul about suffering more terrorist attacks than almost anyone else. And guess what? The Global Terrorism Index actually agrees. It pegs Pakistan as the second most affected nation out of 163 countries, a jump from fourth place last year. Much of this mess is pinned on the Tehrik-e-Taliban, a loose confederation of some 40-plus smaller outfits reportedly operating near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Let’s not forget: these very areas were once prime staging grounds for the Pakistani army’s incursions into Afghanistan. When the inevitable blowback finally hit, those tribal regions found themselves on the brutal receiving end of ‘counterterrorism’ operations, complete with air and artillery strikes. Balochistan has seen similar horrors.
The key takeaway for Indian diplomacy, as its representatives travel the globe, should be crystal clear: Pakistan isn’t just India’s problem. It’s a dangerous supplier of terror for the entire world. With the crises in Gaza and Ukraine dominating the headlines and the focus of Washington and European capitals, it’s high time those old files on global terrorism get dusted off and reopened. For their own sake, frankly. Because here’s the thing: terrorists are constantly learning, not just from each other, but even from tactics used in conventional warfare. While Ukraine’s ‘Operation Spider’ might not be copied wholesale, you can bet terrorists will try to cook up simpler versions just to grab attention.
And perhaps most crucially, recruits from Pakistan are readily available to various groups active in the Gaza conflict. Now, layer on top of that the shocking respectability granted to these terrorists by the Pakistani army – and even the police, if a Lieutenant General, Major General, Brigadier, and an IG of police all showing up at a terrorist funeral in Muridke is any indicator. This suggests that instead of dialing back on terrorism after ‘Operation Sindoor,’ Pakistan, riding high on a ‘victory’ mindset, has only further empowered these groups.
Snake And The Charmer
Hopefully, some other countries have finally got their counter-terrorism goggles on. But here’s the ultimate head-scratcher, the truly infuriating irony: just this week, Pakistan was handed the chairmanship of a vital counter-terrorism committee at the United Nations Security Council – specifically one focused on the Taliban. Talk about rich! Especially when you consider the Taliban has actually done far, far more to stamp out terrorists, particularly ISIS, and has even earned praise from various UN committees for it, than Pakistan ever has. The country that spent decades tormenting Afghanistan is now, somehow, in the driver’s seat.
In a nutshell, it feels like the snake has been unleashed upon the charmer. The message is clear: be ready to fight your own battles. That’s the cold, hard bottom line, especially when we talk about ‘Operation Sindoor’.
