Pakistan takes BIG U-turn on terror group tag for TRF, Deputy PM Ishaq Dar says, 'We welcome...'

Pakistan has dramatically reversed its position on the United States' decision to label The Resistance Front (TRF) as a "terrorist organisation," in the aftermath of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam in April. Just last week, Pakistan's Foreign Minister and Deputy PM Mohammad Ishaq Dar had openly defended the TRF, demanding proof for the group's involvement in the attack. Dar has now backed the US' call, saying Pakistan has "no issue" with it.

What did Ishaq Dar say?
Dar, speaking at an event in Washington, US, said: "It is a sovereign decision of the United States to designate the TRF. We have no issue. And we welcome, if they have any evidence, that it is involved." He, however, added that linking TRF to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was "wrong" as the latter was dismantled years back. "That outfit was dismantled years ago by Pakistan. The actors were prosecuted, arrested and jailed, and the entire outfit was destroyed," he claimed at the event.

What is TRF and how is it linked to LeT?
For the unversed, TRF had claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 people -- most of them tourists from across the country. India had designated TRF as a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in January 2023. The Indian government had also been pressing for TRF to be labeled a terrorist outfit internationally, submitting evidence and representations to a United Nations (UN) monitoring team on several occasions. TRF is widely considered a proxy outfit of the Pakistan-based terror group LeT, which has been behind numerous major attacks in India.