Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar caused controversy in the Pakistani Parliament when he openly defended The Resistance Front (TRF), a terror group linked to the recent Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir. TRF is known as a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the group responsible for several deadly attacks in India.
Dar’s statement came just one day after the United States officially labelled TRF as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) on July 18. This US decision raised concerns within Pakistan’s government.
Pakistan Blocked TRF Mention at the UN
During his speech, Dar admitted that Pakistan used its position as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council to block any mention of TRF in the UN’s condemnation of the Pahalgam attack. This attack, which took place on April 22, killed 26 civilians.
“We opposed the mention of TRF in the UNSC statement. I got calls from global capitals, but Pakistan will not accept,” Dar said. “TRF was deleted, and Pakistan prevailed,” he added.
Dar also dismissed accusations against the group, challenging the evidence linking TRF to the Pahalgam attack.
“We don’t consider TRF illegal. Show us proof they carried out the Pahalgam attack. Show ownership by TRF. We won’t accept the allegation, and TRF had to be deleted from the UN press release,” he insisted.
Dar’s defense came despite the fact that TRF publicly claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack. Intelligence reports from both India and the US also linked TRF to Lashkar-e-Taiba’s operational network.
US Declares TRF a Terrorist Organisation
A day earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio officially designated TRF as both an FTO and SDGT. He explained that TRF, acting as a front for LeT, was directly responsible for the Pahalgam attack.
“TRF, a Lashkar-e-Taiba front and proxy, claimed responsibility for the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam attack which killed 26 civilians,” the US State Department said in a statement.
The department added that TRF had claimed responsibility for multiple attacks targeting Indian security forces in 2024 as well.
Rubio called the Pahalgam incident “the deadliest assault on civilians in India since 2008” and highlighted that “these actions demonstrate the Trump administration’s commitment to protecting our national security interests and seeking justice for victims of terrorism.”
India Welcomes US Move
India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar welcomed the US decision. He described it as a sign of strong counter-terrorism cooperation between India and the US.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Jaishankar said, “Appreciate SecRubio and @StateDept for designating TRF, a Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) proxy, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). It claimed responsibility for the April 22 Pahalgam attack. Zero tolerance for terrorism.”
A strong affirmation of India-US counter-terrorism cooperation.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) July 18, 2025
Appreciate @SecRubio and @StateDept for designating TRF—a Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) proxy—as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). It claimed responsibility for the…
While Pakistan’s government denies TRF’s role and shields the group at international forums, both the US and India view TRF as a dangerous terror proxy responsible for attacks against civilians and security forces.