Pakistan uses proxy groups to drive regional instability

A report from the Afghan Diaspora Network indicates that Pakistan continues to utilize proxy groups to create instability in its neighboring regions. This strategy is described as a cost-effective and deniable method that allows the Pakistani military to maintain its political power and budget while shifting the ultimate costs to the country's citizens.

The report highlights that this policy is active on two primary fronts: India and Afghanistan. Regarding India, the report cites the April attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where the Resistance Front (TRF)—a proxy of Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT)—claimed responsibility for killing 26 civilians. In response, Indian armed forces conducted ‘Operation Sindoor’ in May of the previous year, targeting terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

In Afghanistan, the report notes Pakistan's historical role in the creation of the Afghan Taliban and its support for the Haqqani network. It further mentions that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief visited Kabul shortly after the Taliban seized power in 2021.