Opinion | Pakistan-Sponsored Terrorism: Myth or Reality

Since its inception in 1947, Pakistan has increasingly relied on extremist ideologies and terrorism as instruments of state policy, especially targeting India through proxy wars and militant networks. From fueling the Kashmir insurgency and orchestrating the Kargil War to devastating attacks like Mumbai 2008 and Pulwama 2019, Pakistan-sponsored terrorism has caused immense suffering. India has responded with resilience—militarily, diplomatically, and through global partnerships—while Pakistan now faces the consequences of its own policies. This article traces the roots, events, and evolving response to terrorism, reinforcing that India remains united, strong, and unwavering in the face of continued threats.

Pakistan has been in existence since 1947, it was at a crossroads. Whilst India chose to go secular and democratic, Pakistan soon fell under military dictatorship and religious fanaticism. Since the Cold war Pakistan has embraced extremist networks, using terrorism and proxy wars as an instrument of state policy. This dangerous path has inflicted serious injuries on India, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir, where thousands of innocent lives have been lost due to cross-border terrorism.

The roots of extremism were deepened in the 1980s when there was the Soviet-Afghan War. Pakistan’s military regime led by General Zia-ul-Haq started training thousands of Islamic militants who were called Mujahideen. Post war, these militants were diverted towards Kashmir. Pakistan’s intelligence community, the ISI, was actively involved in building and nurturing entities such as Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and subsequently Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). They were given the job of conducting a jihad against India in the name of “liberating Kashmir.”

In the early 1990s, the Kashmir Valley was shaken by insurgency. Supported by Pakistan, terrorist organizations started a violent campaign against the Indian state and its people. In 1990, the situation became so intense that more than 300,000 Kashmiri Pandits had to leave their ancestral homes because of threats, murders, and general fear. This marked one of the darkest chapters in the region’s communal history. During the decade, terrorists perpetrated a chain of attacks against security personnel, politicians, and civilians. One such barbaric incident was in 1998 in Wandhama when LeT terrorists slaughtered 23 Kashmiri Pandits on the eve of Republic Day.

In 1999, Pakistan made an open act of aggression in Kargil, deploying soldiers and militants to take over Indian positions under the cover of mujahideen. The Indian Army struck back with Operation Vijay, taking back all positions lost and unveiling Pakistan’s deceit. Pakistan didn’t alter its path even after Kargil. On 13 December 2001, JeM terrorists launched an open suicide strike on the Indian Parliament in New Delhi, killing nine individuals and pushing India and Pakistan to the edge of war. The strike was a shameless effort to immobilize India’s democratic establishment and was tracked to Pakistani soil.

The following years witnessed a wave of fatal attacks throughout the Indian heartland. In 2002, Pakistani terrorists struck at the family living quarters of the Indian Army at Kaluchak, Jammu, killing 31 individuals, including women and children. In 2005, mere days ahead of Diwali, bomb explosions cut through busy Delhi markets, killing more than 60 individuals and wounding scores more. These attacks had the signature of LeT and other Pakistan-sponsored organizations that sought to generate communal tensions and instability.

The most horrific and worldwide-known act of terror occurred on 26 November 2008. Ten LeT militants departed from Karachi for Mumbai by ship and, coordinated in advance, attacked multiple spots in the city, claiming 166 lives, including that of foreigners. The targets they set were hotels, a Jewish place of worship, and the main station in Mumbai. The whole operation was being masterminded from Pakistan, and the sole captured terrorist, Ajmal Kasab, exposed the role of LeT and its Pakistani handlers. This attack sent a shiver down the spine of the world and projected India’s war on terror onto the global horizon.

Though globally condemned, Pakistan went on to aid terrorism. JeM terrorists in July 2016 had attacked an Indian army base at Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, and 19 Indian soldiers were killed. This had caused India’s first openly admitted surgical strike across the Line of Control, where Indian Special Forces neutralized terrorist launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. This represented a change in India’s policy from strategic restraint to proactive counter-terrorism.

In July 2017, militants trained in Pakistan brutally attacked Amarnath Yatra pilgrims in Anantnag in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and murdered 8 innocent civilians. The nation was widely shocked.

A more tragic and defining moment were on 14 February 2019, when a JeM suicide bomber drove an explosive-laden vehicle into a CRPF convoy in Pulwama, killing 40 jawans. The nation was shocked by this attack. In response, India conducted an airstrike deep within Pakistan in Balakot, targeting a large JeM training camp. It was a strong message that India would no longer allow cross-border terrorism without punishment.

The TTP, once backed by Pakistan’s establishment, turned against it. In 2003, over 80 Pakistani Police Officers were killed in a bombing in Peshawar- proving that Pakistan’s terror strategy had begun to backfire.

On April 22, 2025, Pakistan-backed terrorists targeted tourists in Baisaran Valley in Pahalgam, killing 26 civilians and wounding more than 20. The Resistance Front, which is associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed the attack first. The assault evoked widespread condemnation and highlighted the threat posed by Pakistan-backed outfits despite India’s efforts towards peace and development in Jammu and Kashmir.

India has persistently foiled attempts at infiltration along the border. The Indian Army has launched precision strikes in Kashmir, eliminating hundreds of terrorists and bringing peace to various regions. High voter turnout and growing development in Jammu and Kashmir have indicated that terrorism is losing its grip. Concurrently, India has urged the international community to act against terrorist organizations such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Hizbul Mujahideen, Al-Badr, among others, whose leaders still have a safe haven in Pakistan.

Despite years of terrorism, India has held up. From the Pandit exodus to Pulwama and Mumbai, India has endured and emerged stronger, unshaken by brutality. It has made heavy investment in tougher mechanisms for countering terror, newer border defenses, and alliances around the globe for countering terror.

In contrast, Pakistan is diplomatically isolated, economically under pressure, and more and more a victim of the monsters it spawned. What was once a state policy to “bleed India with a thousand cuts” has become a threat to Pakistan’s survival. The world now recognizes the truth India has been pointing out for decades Pakistan is the hub of international terrorism.

Our message is loud and clear: terrorism will never overcome democracy. Irrespective of the number of attacks conducted or lives taken, the spirit of India is not broken. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, the country is united against terror, fiercely committed to protecting its sovereignty, its citizens, and its future.

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