Pak based terrorist groups maintain capability, intent to attack Indian targets

New Delhi: Terrorist organisations based in Pakistan such as Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad have maintained the "capability and intent" to attack Indian and Afghan targets, a report by the US State Department said.

"Regionally focused terrorist groups also remained a threat in 2018. Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyiba - which was responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks - and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) maintained the capability and intent to attack Indian and Afghan targets," the report titled "Country Reports on Terrorism 2018" said.

The report accused Pakistan of not taking sufficient action against terrorist groups such as LeT and JeM, which it said "continued to operate, train, organise, and fundraise in Pakistan."

The report said India continued to experience attacks from Pakistan based terrorist organisations.

"Indian authorities blamed Pakistan for cross-border attacks in the state of Jammu and Kashmir," the report said while adding that it (India) continued to apply pressure to detect, disrupt, and degrade terrorist organisations' operations within its borders.

The document by the US States Department accused Islamabad of not restricting the Afghan Taliban and Haqqani Network (HQN) from operating in the safe havens based in Pakistan.

"The government (Pakistan) failed to significantly limit Lashkar e-Tayyiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) from raising money, recruiting, and training in Pakistan - and allowed candidates overtly affiliated with LeT front organizations to contest the July general elections," it said.

The report mentioned that Pakistan experienced numerous terrorist attacks in 2018 highlighting that militant and terrorist groups targeted civilians, journalists, community leaders, security forces, law enforcement agents, and schools killing and injuring hundreds.

"Religious minorities faced significant threats from terrorist groups. The following examples include some of the more destructive and high-profile attacks and demonstrate a variety of methods, targets, and perpetrators," it said.

It took note of critics arguing that military courts in Pakistan are not transparent and are being used to silence civil society activists.