Pakistan continues to sustain an entrenched terror ecosystem that aligns with its long-standing doctrine of “bleeding India with a thousand cuts.”

Despite assuming leadership of the SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in 2025, its counterterror commitments remain performative, masking ongoing state-backed terrorist activity.

Following India’s Operation Sindoor in May 2025, which eliminated key Jaish-e-Mohammad leaders, Pakistan’s terror infrastructure remains largely operational. JeM is reportedly rebuilding hundreds of training hubs, while its chief Masood Azhar plans to expand radical indoctrination through a women’s jihad initiative, echoing the tactics of global extremist networks.

A generational shift in terrorism is unfolding. Talha Saeed, son of LeT founder Hafiz Saeed, has publicly assumed leadership roles, defying extradition calls and reviving jihadist rhetoric through mass rallies. This resurgence highlights Pakistan’s failure to dismantle internal support structures for terror outfits.

Terror financing channels have evolved beyond traditional banking. JeM and LeT now exploit fintech, e-wallets, and digital transactions to evade regulatory oversight. FATF’s latest warnings underscore Pakistan’s inadequate control, signalling that its delisting from the Grey List was premature.

According to Siddhant Kishore, a Washington-based national security and foreign policy analyst writing in The Milli Chronicle, Islamabad’s long-standing doctrine of “bleeding India with a thousand cuts” remains the strategic foundation of its proxy warfare. Despite widespread condemnation, the country’s terror infrastructure continues to function largely unimpeded.

The irony deepened when Pakistan assumed the chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in September 2025.

Kishore called it a “state sponsor of terrorism overseeing a regional network designed to combat it.” He underscored that unless Pakistan aligns its actions with its declarations, its participation in regional counterterrorism structures will remain superficial.

Despite India’s precise retaliatory strikes under Operation Sindoor in May 2025—launched after the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 civilian lives—Pakistan’s terror networks remain intact. Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), in particular, continues its planning, training, and fundraising operations.

Kishore revealed that JeM is attempting to rebuild up to 313 terror hubs across Pakistan, demonstrating that Operation Sindoor, which eliminated several members of Masood Azhar’s family and destroyed JeM’s Bahawalpur headquarters, has not dismantled the organisation’s capabilities.

A deeply concerning development is JeM chief Masood Azhar’s reported plan to initiate a women’s jihad wing called Jamat-ul-Mominat. Kishore warned that if executed, this would mark a new operational dimension for JeM, reminiscent of the tactics employed by Islamic State and Boko Haram, further intensifying the reach of extremist ideology in the region.

Generational Shift In Terrorism

Kishore also observed a generational handover among Pakistan’s terror factions. Talha Saeed, son of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed, has reportedly taken charge of a major LeT-linked mosque in Lahore. He has publicly rejected extradition appeals, used mass gatherings to glorify jihad, and exhibited growing influence within terrorist circles—signalling a dangerous consolidation of ideological and operational control within the next generation of terrorists.

Evolving Terror Financing Mechanisms

While Pakistan claims cooperation with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Kishore noted that terrorist funding models have evolved faster than regulatory control. Groups such as JeM are now exploiting fintech platforms, mobile wallets, and e-payment systems to collect funds covertly. FATF President Elisa de Anda Madrazo recently warned that Pakistan’s removal from the FATF Grey List was “not bullet-proof,” pointing to persisting gaps in combating terror financing. Kishore remarked that this digital adaptation reflects not defeat but continued resilience among these groups.

Strained Regional Relations And Rising Tensions

Amid these developments, Islamabad’s relations with Kabul have deteriorated sharply. India’s Ministry of External Affairs criticised Pakistan’s pattern of regional aggression, with spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stating that Pakistan’s cross-border terrorism “cannot be accepted.” Tensions with Afghanistan flared after alleged Pakistani airstrikes led to border clashes, with Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warning of potential deep strikes inside Afghan territory. These escalations further isolate Pakistan regionally, undermining its claims as a counterterror partner.

Dual Policies And Washington’s Dilemma

Kishore cautioned that Pakistan’s growing closeness with Washington might dilute U.S. leverage on counterterror accountability. By projecting itself as a cooperative partner and regional economic hub, Pakistan benefits from a transactional relationship that overlooks deeper complicity. This, he argued, emboldens Pakistan’s military establishment to continue using jihadist outfits as instruments of statecraft under the guise of cooperation.

Conclusion: A Doctrine Still Alive

Kishore concluded that Pakistan’s counterterror credentials remain hollow while its territory continues to shelter and protect terror networks. The façade of reform, he warned, risks reinforcing a dual policy—collaboration abroad and sponsorship of extremism at home. The critical question, he wrote, is no longer whether Pakistan can change but whether it truly intends to.

Based On ANI Report