Bengaluru, Jul 23: The Resistance Front was quick to claim responsibility following the Pahalgam attack in which 26 persons lost their lives. However, in no time, it was the Pakistan establishment that made the TRF withdraw responsibility, and this was out of fear that India might move the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Pakistan has, with great difficulty, wriggled out of the Grey list of the FATF and in the current economic situation, the country finds itself in, it cannot afford to be on that list once more.

Before the TRF was declared a global terror entity by the United States, there was lobbying at the highest levels by Pakistan to prevent this move. Any indication of a TRF involvement in the attacks would be a direct implication for Pakistan.

Having this outfit declared a global terror outfit by the United States was important for India, especially in the aftermath of the ghastly Pahalgam attack.

In May, China helped Pakistan and ensured that the TRF is not named in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). While Pakistan continued to lobby, India indulged in some high-level diplomacy, which eventually led to the decision by the US.

Since the birth of this outfit, which is a proxy of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, India began preparing a detailed dossier. The outfit posed as a home-grown one and initially only deployed the locals of Jammu and Kashmir in attacks.

It spoke about the banes behind the decision to revoke Article 370 and also swore to protect local interests. However, in the Pahalgam attack, the gloves were off, and the investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) managed to establish that there were three terrorists of Pakistan origin involved in the attack.

This explains the reason why the Pakistanis were panicky about having this outfit declared a global terror group. The diplomatic charge was led by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who provided detailed dossiers on the outfit prepared by the NIA, Intelligence Bureau, Research and Analysis Wing and Jammu and Kashmir police.

The dossiers were presented before the United States and the 1267 Committee of the United Nations. Misri, during his visit to the US on May 27-29, presented the dossier to the US State Department. The same dossier was also submitted to the UN in New York.

The dossier said that Sheikh Sajjad Gul alias Sajjad Ahmed Sheikh, the Kashmiri face of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, was chosen by the ISI to lead this outfit. The TRF has been involved in a series of attacks, including targeted killings in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. The attacks were concentrated mainly in central and south Kashmir.

In 2023, it carried out a grenade attack in Central Kashmir in which a Jammu and Kashmir police party was ambushed. Similar such attacks have been quoted in the dossier. The dossier was updated with the details relating to the Pahalgam attack.

Coming to the funding part of it, the dossier speaks about Parvez Ahmed Sheikh, a former doctor and brother of Gul. He had moved to Saudi Arabia before settling in Pakistan. Since then, he has been a primary fundraiser for the Lashkar-e-Tayiba in Jammu and Kashmir.

Following the US decision, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar thanked the Trump administration. “Today, the Department of State is adding The Resistance Front (TRF) as a designated Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT)," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement on Friday.

“These actions taken by the Department of State demonstrate the Trump Administration’s commitment to protecting our national security interests, countering terrorism, and enforcing President Trump’s call for justice for the Pahalgam attack," Jaishankar said.

The next move by India would be at the FATF. The investigations have revealed several details about Pakistan’s involvement in not just providing logistic and material support to The Resistance Front, but financial assistance as well.

Pakistan’s over-insistence that it wants the TRF mention being avoided at the UNSC, in itself, is suspicious. While it may have managed to dodge the issue at the UNSC, thanks to China, it may not have a free run at the FATF.

Officials in New Delhi are likely to take up the issue in October. The plenary meetings of the FATF are usually held every year in October, February and June.

Pakistan was removed from the Grey List in October 2022 after being on it since 2018. India will continue to raise concerns about Pakistan’s failure to take adequate action against cross-border terrorism.

The October meeting would be challenging for Pakistan as there are indications that the country may face renewed scrutiny and a potential return to the Grey List.

India is set to present evidence during the next plenary about Pakistan’s continued support for terrorist groups. Armed with a dossier, a designation by the United States and India’s slick diplomacy, Pakistan may soon face the heat at the Financial Action Task Force again.

(IANS)

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