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Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar now supports the US designation of The Resistance Front (TRF) as a terrorist group, reversing his prior stance.
In a marked departure from his earlier stand, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has extended support to the United States’ decision to designate The Resistance Front (TRF) as a terrorist organisation. Speaking in Washington DC, Dar said Pakistan has "no objection" to the move but firmly rejected the group’s alleged links with the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
‘No Objection to TRF Ban, But Linking with LeT Is Wrong’
Dar acknowledged the US designation as a sovereign decision, adding, “We have no issue. And we welcome, if they have any evidence, that they (TRF) are involved.” However, he pushed back against claims that TRF was a front for LeT.
"Linking the TRF to Lashkar-e-Taiba is wrong," he said. "That outfit was dismantled years ago by Pakistan. The actors were prosecuted, arrested and jailed, and the entire outfit was destroyed."
From Parliament to DC: A Shift in Tone
Dar’s remarks in Washington appear to contradict what he told Pakistan’s Parliament just weeks ago. Then, he proudly claimed Pakistan had successfully blocked the mention of TRF in a UN Security Council (UNSC) statement on the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians in India.
“We opposed the mention of TRF in the UNSC statement. I got calls from global capitals, but Pakistan will not accept,” Dar had said. “TRF was deleted, and Pakistan prevailed.”
He had also argued there was no proof linking TRF to the attack, saying, “Show us proof they carried out the Pahalgam attack. Show ownership by TRF. We won't accept the allegation.”
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What the US Said About TRF
Earlier in July, the US State Department officially designated TRF as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).
Highlighting the group’s role in orchestrating attacks in India, including the Pahalgam attack, the State Department said the designation was a reflection of Washington’s commitment to counterterrorism and justice for victims.
The department noted that TRF and its aliases were added under Lashkar-e-Taiba’s designation as part of broader efforts under US counterterrorism laws.
What Is TRF and Why It Matters
The Resistance Front emerged in 2019, believed to be a shadow outfit of LeT. It was officially banned by India in 2023 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
TRF has been accused of recruiting youth online, smuggling arms and narcotics from Pakistan, and orchestrating terror attacks targeting civilians, politicians, and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir.
The group’s leader, Sheikh Sajjad Gul, has already been designated a terrorist by Indian authorities.