A fitting blow to Pakistan, the global epicentre of terror – Firstpost

To call Pakistan a failed state and the epicentre of global terrorism is merely stating the obvious. Its long history of creating, nurturing, training, and funding terrorist outfits to attack innocents across the world is well documented. This reality justifies its notorious nickname—Terroristan.

For decades, terrorism originating from and sponsored by Pakistan has been targeted primarily at India, with increasing focus on civilian targets.

While the 26/11 Mumbai attack of 2008, under the UPA regime, remains the deadliest ever in terms of scale and casualties, the past 11 years under Modi government have witnessed three major terrorist attacks, all traced back to Pakistan’s terror machinery:

• Uri (2016): On September 18, 2016, terrorists affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammed attacked an Indian Army base near Uri in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district. Nineteen soldiers were killed and 30 others injured.

• Pulwama (2019): On February 14, 2019, a suicide bomber attacked a CRPF convoy in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, killing 40 personnel. The attacker, Adil Ahmed Dar, was affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammed.

• Pahalgam (2025): On April 22, 2025, the worst civilian terror attack since 26/11 took place in Baisaran Valley, a tourist hotspot in Pahalgam, Kashmir. Twenty-six innocent civilians were killed. An offshoot of the Pakistan-based and UN-designated Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), The Resistance Front (TRF), claimed responsibility.

Zero Tolerance for Terror

To the best of public knowledge, the 26/11 attacks—India’s most heinous civilian terror strike—went unanswered militarily. Had there been a resolute response then, perhaps Pakistan-backed terrorists would not have dared to carry out attacks at Uri, Pulwama, and Pahalgam.

The Uri and Pulwama attacks marked a shift in India’s strategic doctrine. Uri was avenged with surgical strikes by Indian forces on terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), while Pulwama was followed by a targeted airstrike deep inside Pakistani territory.

These strikes signalled India’s new doctrine of zero tolerance to terror, which led to a brief pause in major Pakistan-sponsored terrorist activity.

Munir’s Provocation

The provocation came again, this time from Pakistan’s Army Chief and de facto ruler, General Asim Munir. On April 16, while addressing a Convention for Overseas Pakistanis in Islamabad, Munir made two provocative statements:

• The Jugular Vein: Referring to Kashmir, he said, “It was our jugular vein, it will be our jugular vein. We will not forget it. We will not leave our Kashmiri brothers in their heroic struggle.”

• Two Nation Theory: Reviving the divisive ideology, he claimed Hindus and Muslims are different nations who cannot coexist.

Pahalgam Attack Follows

Soon after Munir’s inflammatory rhetoric, the Pahalgam terror strike occurred, shockingly involving religious profiling and brutal killings of civilians in front of their families.

Despite the earlier robust responses to Uri and Pulwama, the Pahalgam attack happened—underscoring the persistence of Pakistan’s terror agenda.

Making of Operation Sindoor

This time, however, the perpetrators and their Pakistani handlers were unprepared for Operation Sindoor—a swift, resolute, and comprehensive military and political response by Bharat. Supported by citizens across the spectrum, and executed flawlessly by the armed forces, Operation Sindoor became a powerful message.

A New Paradigm: The New Normal

On May 12, 2025, in his address to the nation post-Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Modi declared that the operation was only temporarily paused—not concluded. He unveiled a new anti-terror doctrine comprising three tenets—the New Normal:

• Zero Tolerance to Terror: Any terror attack will be met with a strict response at the source.

• No Tolerance for Nuclear Blackmail: India will no longer be deterred by Pakistan’s nuclear rhetoric and will strike at terror camps regardless.

• No Tolerance towards Terrorists and Terror-Sponsoring State: India will treat both the perpetrators and their state sponsors as legitimate military targets.

The Indian Lion Roars

On May 13, while addressing defence personnel at Adampur Air Base—targeted in the Pakistani strike on May 9—PM Modi issued a stern warning:

“Patrons of terrorism must now understand: harbouring evil designs against India will lead to one consequence—annihilation. Killing innocent Indians will result in one outcome—complete ruination.”

Pakistan: A Global Terrorist Hub

Is there proof of Pakistan’s deep involvement in global terrorism? Yes—and it’s overwhelming.

Pakistan harbours UN-designated terrorists who operate freely, raise funds, and even receive state honours at funerals. Following Operation Sindoor, several high-profile funerals of terrorists were attended by top military officials—further implicating the state.

Pakistan ranks second on the Global Terrorism Index (after Burkina Faso and ahead of Syria), a damning statistic. Its repeated appearance on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list (2008–10, 2012–15, 2018–20) highlights its failure to dismantle terror financing networks.

Confessions by Pakistani leaders and military officials further expose the state’s role. From Pervez Musharraf (2015) to Nawaz Sharif (2018), Imran Khan (2019), and most recently, Khawaja Asif and Bilawal Bhutto (2025)—the record is clear.

Breaking the Nexus

How did Pakistan become the world’s terror epicentre? What is the nexus between its government, military, and terrorist organisations?

The distinction between “good terrorists” (those attacking India and Afghanistan) and “bad terrorists” (who now threaten Pakistan itself) reveals the inherent contradictions in its policy.

Making of Terrorism in Pakistan

Australian scholar Eamon Murphy, in The Making of Terrorism in Pakistan (2014), provides a comprehensive account of the roots of extremism in Pakistan. Several contributing factors include:

• Islamisation: Declared a state religion in 1973.

• Religious Extremism: Dictator Zia-ul-Haq promoted Wahhabism in the 1980s, leading to an explosion of madrassas—from 900 to over 33,000.

• ISI and Osama Bin Laden: Post-1979 Afghan War, U.S. and Saudi support was channelled through ISI, which empowered radical jihadist elements like bin Laden.

• Kalashnikov Culture: Radicalism, war refugees, and unchecked weapons created a violent domestic culture.

These developments laid the foundation for terror outfits that later unleashed chaos across the globe—including the 9/11 attacks.

India-Centric Terror Groups

The Afghan war’s aftermath (1989) created a pool of trained, radicalised jihadis with no war to fight. The ISI redirected them toward Kashmir, fueling a proxy war.

Terrorist Organisations in Pakistan

Pakistan is home to multiple terror groups, categorised by sect (Deobandi, Salafi, etc.) and areas of operation (India, Afghanistan, the West). Prominent among them are:

• Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)

• Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM)

• Hizbul Mujahideen (HM)

• Jamaat-e-Islami (JI)

• Al Qaeda (Pakistan)

• Taliban

• Sipah-e-Sahaba (SSP)

• Islamic State-Khorasan (ISIS-K)

• Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)

• United Jihad Council (UJC)

Many of these groups have India as their primary target.

India-Focused Terror Groups

Among the most dangerous are:

• Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT): Founded in 1986, LeT has been behind major attacks including the 2006 Mumbai train blasts and the 2008 Mumbai siege. Led by Hafiz Saeed, it operates openly in Pakistan.

• Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM): Founded by Masood Azhar in 2000, following his release during the IC-814 hijacking. Known for suicide attacks, JeM was responsible for the 2001 J&K Assembly bombing and the Parliament attack.

Smaller outfits like Al-Umar, Al-Badr, and Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen follow the same ideological path.

What Next

With Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Modi has issued a clear ultimatum: any future terror attack from Pakistani soil will be treated as an act of war. Pakistan’s political and military leadership must now reckon with the new reality—further attacks will invite devastating consequences.

The warning is unambiguous: If Pakistan does not dismantle the terror infrastructure on its soil, India will.

The author is a multi-disciplinary thought leader with Action Bias and an India based impact consultant. He is a keen watcher of changing national and international scenarios. He works as President Advisory Services of Consulting Company BARSYL. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.