Pakistan changes stance on TRF, supports US decision to add LeT proxy as global terrorist outfit
By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday has supported the US administration move to designate The Resistance Front as a terrorist organization.
The TRF, which India believes is a front and proxy for the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, had claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam terrorist attack.
Dar was speaking at an event in Washington said, “It is obviously a sovereign decision of the United States to designate the TRF. We have no issue. And we welcome, if they have any evidence, that they are involved,” Dar said.
His remarks were in stark contrast with the earlier stance of Pakistan.
In April, Dar had stated that Pakistan blocked the mention of TRF in the UNSC’s condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack.
The minister said it was not right to link TRF to the Lashkar-e-Taiba, claiming the outfit was dismantled by Pakistan years ago.
“Linking the TRF to the Lashkar-e-Taiba is wrong. That outfit was dismantled years ago by Pakistan. The actors were prosecuted, arrested and jailed, and the entire outfit was destroyed,” he added.
The US designated TRF as foreign terrorist organization and specially designated global terrorist.
US Secretary Marco Rubio in a statement issued earlier stated that the Department of State is adding the Resistance Front as a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).
TRF and other associated aliases have been added to LeT’s designation as a FTO and SDGT pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, respectively.
According to sources, the TRF was founded in October 2019 post post-abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. With its origin rooted in Kashmir (Pakistan-supported), it is part of its Lashkar-e-Taiba.
TRF at the behest of LeT, is involved in undertaking activities pertaining to executing terror attacks, recruitment for the outfit and spreading propaganda against India.
TRF was raised by Pakistan and LeT to avoid Financial Action Task Force scrutiny and global bans along with gaining local sympathy, and masking foreign sponsorship as local resistance, as per the source apart from targeting civilians, minorities, tourists, and security forces.
