In a major diplomatic blow to Pakistan, the United States has officially designated The Resistance Front (TRF) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). The move underlines growing international recognition of Pakistan’s long-standing strategy of using militant groups as proxies to further its regional interests, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir.
The US State Department’s announcement described TRF as a “rebranded” offshoot of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based terror outfit previously responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks. TRF has been actively involved in orchestrating attacks on Indian security forces and civilians in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir since its emergence in 2019.
Officials stated that the TRF’s activities were not isolated incidents of militancy but part of a broader infrastructure supported and sustained by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). “This designation is a signal to the international community that terrorism cannot be used as an instrument of state policy,” said a senior US official familiar with the development.
India has consistently raised concerns over TRF’s operations and has provided detailed dossiers to both the United Nations and foreign governments. The outfit has been linked to several high-profile assassinations and recruitment drives across Kashmir valley, often using encrypted social media platforms to radicalize youth.
The US action follows repeated calls by Indian diplomats for the global community to adopt a “zero tolerance” stance on cross-border terrorism. New Delhi has welcomed the designation, with Ministry of External Affairs officials noting it as a “timely step that will strengthen efforts to dismantle Pakistan’s terror ecosystem.”
Strategic analysts believe the designation will put pressure on Islamabad ahead of global forums, including the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), where it remains on the radar for terror financing and weak counter-terror measures.
The move is also likely to lead to financial sanctions on TRF operatives and collaborators, disrupt their international funding networks, and enhance intelligence-sharing mechanisms between India and key allies like the US.
This latest development underscores the growing alignment between Washington and New Delhi in combating terror threats in South Asia and reaffirms a shift in global perception regarding Pakistan’s role in fostering extremist groups under the guise of non-state actors.
