In a significant diplomatic turn, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has voiced support for the United States’ designation of The Resistance Front (TRF) as a terrorist organization, diverging from his earlier position at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). This comes in the aftermath of TRF’s claim of responsibility for the April 22, 2025 terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 people.

Speaking at a public event in Washington, D.C., Dar stated that Pakistan had “no objection” to the US decision. He acknowledged that it is a sovereign move by the United States, adding, “We welcome it if they have any evidence that [TRF] is involved.” However, he maintained that associating TRF with Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Pakistan-based terrorist group, was “wrong.”

This statement is in sharp contrast to Dar's earlier claims made in Pakistan’s Parliament in April 2025, where he boasted of preventing TRF's mention in a UNSC resolution that condemned the Pahalgam terror attack. At that time, he claimed Pakistan had successfully blocked the inclusion of TRF’s name despite pressure from international quarters.

“We opposed the mention of TRF in the UNSC statement. I got calls from global capitals, but Pakistan will not accept. TRF was deleted, and Pakistan prevailed,” Dar had told lawmakers.

The shift in tone reflects the growing international isolation Pakistan faces over its perceived reluctance to act against terrorist entities operating from its soil. The United States’ decision to designate TRF as a terrorist organization is seen as a culmination of mounting global concerns over cross-border terrorism, especially in Jammu & Kashmir.

Who is TRF?

The Resistance Front (TRF) is widely believed to be a proxy outfit of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), designed to give a domestic face to terrorism in India, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir. The outfit first surfaced in 2019, releasing online statements claiming various attacks. Since then, it has taken credit for multiple incidents, including:

• A grenade attack in Srinagar injuring seven civilians.

• A series of targeted assassinations in 2021 aimed at civilians and minority communities.

• Multiple assaults on Indian security forces, often using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and small arms.

The Indian government declared TRF a terrorist outfit under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in January 2023. Indian agencies assert that the TRF operates as a digital front for LeT, enabling operatives to recruit and radicalize youth online while obscuring the group's Pakistani origin.

According to the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), TRF has increasingly relied on social media propaganda to spread its agenda and recruit operatives in the Kashmir Valley. Its operations have largely mirrored the strategies employed by LeT in previous years, but with a more technologically sophisticated and decentralized approach.

Pakistan’s Diplomatic Dilemma

The reversal by Ishaq Dar is being seen as part of Pakistan’s attempt to rehabilitate its international image, especially amid ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and a push for trade normalization with the United States. With rising international scrutiny over its counter-terrorism record, Pakistan is under mounting pressure to demonstrate compliance with global anti-terror norms.

However, analysts remain skeptical of Islamabad’s intentions. The contradiction between Dar’s current statement and his previous assertion in Parliament reflects Pakistan’s ambiguous and inconsistent approach to terrorism, particularly when groups are aligned with its strategic interests in Kashmir.

International and Indian Reactions

The Indian government has consistently maintained that Pakistan is the epicenter of terrorism and continues to support and harbor groups like LeT and TRF. Indian diplomats have repeatedly raised the issue at international forums, including the UNSC and Financial Action Task Force (FATF) plenaries.

The US designation is seen in India as validation of its long-standing position. A senior official from India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reportedly said the decision “underscores the need for unified global action against all forms of terrorism, regardless of how they are disguised.”

Meanwhile, counterterrorism experts argue that the TRF's operations are part of a broader trend of rebranding terror groups to gain legitimacy and evade scrutiny. This strategy has become more prevalent as pressure mounts on states like Pakistan to demonstrate action against groups operating within their borders.

UN Security Council and Global Implications

The UNSC's earlier reluctance to name TRF in its statement on the Pahalgam attack highlighted how geopolitical considerations often shape global responses to terrorism. Pakistan had then successfully lobbied for the exclusion of TRF, claiming there was insufficient evidence.

However, Dar’s current statement — that Pakistan “welcomes” the designation if evidence is available — has reopened debates on transparency and sincerity in counter-terror diplomacy.

Critics say Pakistan often uses technicalities and procedural delays to shield groups like TRF from international action while presenting a cooperative façade to major powers like the United States and China.

Looking Ahead

As the pressure builds, Pakistan may face further demands from global institutions to rein in TRF and similar outfits, especially if evidence of direct coordination with LeT surfaces. The US move to label TRF as a terror group could trigger additional designations in the European Union and other jurisdictions, further isolating the organization and its supporters.

The reversal by Ishaq Dar, while symbolically significant, may not mark a fundamental shift in Pakistan's policies unless accompanied by tangible action on the ground. Only sustained efforts to dismantle terrorist infrastructure and sever links between TRF and Pakistan-based entities will convince the international community of Islamabad's sincerity.

Until then, statements — however conciliatory — will be viewed with caution and skepticism, especially in India, which continues to bear the brunt of cross-border terrorism.

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