A United States Congressional report this week states that terror groups keep operating from Pakistan. Despite years of military operations and policies, efforts have failed to defeat US- and UN-listed militants on Pakistani soil.
The report by the independent Congressional Research Service identifies Pakistan as both a base and a target for “numerous armed, nonstate militant groups,” some of which have been active since the 1980s.
The report categorises them into five types: Global, Afghanistan-focused, India-Kashmir oriented, domestic, and sectarian.
CRS, Congress’s independent research wing, produces these non-official reports to inform lawmakers.
The CRS report on Pakistan notes that 12 of the 15 listed groups are designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations under US law and “most, but not all, are animated by Islamist extremist ideology.”
Pakistan faces surging terrorism. After deaths dropped to 365 in 2019, they’ve risen yearly, spiking to 4,001 in 2025, the highest in 11 years.
The report adds that “Pakistan currently is the country most impacted by terrorism,” reflecting a resurgence of militancy following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021.
Among globally oriented groups, Al Qaeda continues to operate in the region, though its “core has been seriously degraded” and maintains alliances with other militant organisations.
The Islamic State’s regional affiliate, Islamic State-Khorasan Province, has an estimated “4,000-6,000 fighters” and operates across Afghanistan and Pakistan, drawing from former members of other militant groups.
Afghanistan-focused groups like the Haqqani Network sustain cross-border operations. With several hundred core members and 3,000-5,000 fighters, it’s tied to major Afghan attacks.
According to the CRS, several of the India-focused groups remain active. Lashkar-e-Taiba, responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and Jaish-e-Mohammed, linked to the 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament, continue to operate from Pakistani territory and seek to alter the status of Kashmir.
Domestically, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ranks as Pakistan’s deadliest group. It has 2,500-5,000 fighters and seeks to topple the state for Sharia rule.
Separatist violence has also intensified in Balochistan. The Balochistan Liberation Army, designated as a terrorist organisation in 2025, has targeted infrastructure and foreign nationals, including projects linked to China.
