Opinion: Terrorism As Statecraft, Pakistan’s Dangerous Game, Isn't Merely Ethically Bankrupt But Also A Bad Bet

Pakistan has danced for decades on a tightrope of danger, using terrorism as a clandestine instrument of statecraft to achieve its geopolitical ends. Though they refute these claims, the facts — piled high by India, the US, and international monitors — create a damning image. From the red streets of Mumbai to the battlefields of Afghanistan, Pakistan's backing of terrorist outfits has left a trail of blood, destabilising the region and exposing the true nature of its statecraft. State sponsorship of terror is not merely a policy blunder; it's a calculated bet that undermines global security and puts the future of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan at stake.

Jammu and Kashmir, which had just started to expect a return to normalcy after decades of turmoil, was again rocked by a catastrophic terrorist attack. On April 22, 2025, there was a deadly attack in the Baisaran valley close to Pahalgam, where tourists were attacked by gunmen. They killed 26 civilians and injured numerous others, with The Resistance Front (TRF), a terrorist organisation that emerged in 2019, claiming responsibility for the attack. India’s intelligence agencies link the terror attack to Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), citing the TRF’s use of advanced military weapons and trained terrorists. It is clear that Pakistan’s deep state is desperate to counter the improving security situation in Jammu and Kashmir following the revocation of Kashmir’s semi-autonomous status in 2019 and draw global attention to the Kashmir issue. 

In their press release, the TRF mentioned the issuance of 85,000 domicile certificates to outsiders and continuous demographic shifts in the Kashmir Valley as reasons for carrying out the attack.

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India's Ministry of Home Affairs lists TRF as an outfit sponsored by Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The attack, which was the worst on civilians in the region since 2019, has drastically escalated the already strained relationship between India and Pakistan. India has enacted a number of punitive actions in response: shutdown of the integrated check-post at the Attari border crossing, expulsion from New Delhi of Pakistani High Commission officials, imposition of additional curbs on Pakistani nationals' visas, and above all, suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. These incidents have increased South Asian diplomatic and security tensions as both countries reciprocated robust statements and boosting security along borders.

It is interesting that this act of violence took place only days after Pakistan's Army Chief General Asim Munir's statement refering to Kashmir as Pakistan's "jugular vein" and also made inciting statements regarding the two-nation theory and the allegedly unbridgeable chasm between Hindus and Muslims. Also pertinent is the well-documented record of the Pakistani state's record of nurturing and exporting terrorism in pursuit of furthering its geostrategic ambitions. This trend has its roots in the US-backed reaction to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, when Pakistan offered sanctuary and training to the Mujahideen, the Islamist terrorist resistance. These networks later became the Taliban and al-Qaeda, which have spread extremist ideologies and committed acts of terror within Pakistan and worldwide.

Organisations such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), which are both listed as terrorist groups by the United Nations, have been associated with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The 2008 Mumbai attacks, in which LeT terrorists killed 166 individuals in a well-planned attack, are a chilling reminder of this connection. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif himself hinted at state complicity in 2018, while India has long provided dossiers detailing ISI’s logistical and financial support. The 2019 Pulwama attack, which claimed 40 Indian lives, saw Pakistan’s own Science and Technology Minister brazenly admit to state collusion. These are not one-offs but form a pattern — a proxy war fought with non-state actors to drain India and keep the Kashmir conflict simmering.

Go to Afghanistan, and the tale darkens. Pakistan's reported support of the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network has riled Kabul to Washington. These organisations, which carried out attacks such as the 2008 Indian Embassy bombing in Kabul, are said to be operating from sanctuaries in Pakistan's tribal areas. US intelligence has accused the ISI, and PM Imran Khan acknowledged in 2019 the existence of tens of thousands of armed terrorists on Pakistani territory — a breathtaking admission of a long-denied reality.

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Terrorism As Statecraft Isn't Merely Ethically Bankrupt, It's A Bad Bet

In spite of projecting itself as an ally of the United States in the 'war on terror' post-9/11, Pakistan went on secretly aiding terrorist groups — a fact brutally exposed when Osama bin Laden was found and assassinated by US commandos in Abbottabad in 2011. As the renowned Belgian-American journalist Arnaud de Borchgrave once noted: “The fingerprints of every major act of international Islamist terrorism almost invariably lead back to Pakistan, from 9/11-where nearly all participants had trained, lived, convened, coordinated, or received funding in or via Pakistan.”

Pakistan's strategic employment of terrorism as a tool of foreign policy has resulted in serious repercussions for India, which has faced several attacks planned by Pakistan-based groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed, and the Haqqani Network. The conflict in Jammu and Kashmir has been heavily sponsored by these groups, which have been at the forefront of radicalising, training, funding, and equipping local youth, thus creating cycles of terrorist violence and corresponding state reactions for over three decades. This ongoing conflict has taken a heavy human cost on the civilian population, who continue to be at risk from violence and disruption, as well as security forces personnel operating within the region, both of whom are repeatedly exposed to crossfire. The continuous uncertainty has therefore seriously impacted the social environment and security situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

Despite continued regional and global pressure, Pakistan remains steadfast to use terrorism as a tool of state policy, a political strategy that has not only destabilised its neighbours but has also had horrific repercussions on its own soil. The Global Terrorism Index 2025 identifies Pakistan as the second-most impacted country in terms of terrorism globally, advancing one position, following a 45% escalation of terrorism-linked fatalities and well over twice as many attacks from last year. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) now stands as the leading threat, with responsibility for 52% of terrorist-linked fatalities, having escalated in action following the 2021 resurgence of power in Afghanistan by the Taliban.

In addition, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has intensified its insurgency, masterminding high-profile attacks like a recent train hijacking and a suicide bombing in Quetta. These events highlight the increasing instability in areas like Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which are most affected by terrorist violence. Terrorism as statecraft isn't merely ethically bankrupt, it's a bad bet.

In light of this background, it was to be hoped that the Pakistani establishment would take a harder line against extremist networks based within its territory. The recent Pahalgam attack, however, serves to demonstrate the ongoing risk posed by Pakistan-based terrorist organisations to regional security. While India laments its dead and mounts diplomatic retaliation, it is essential that the international community as one condemn both terrorism and states which support it, for enduring peace and stability.

The writer is an Indian Navy veteran and military historian.

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