Watch: Pakistan says terror group TRF 'not illegal' despite US declaration

Ishaq Dar

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday openly defended The Resistance Front (TRF) in Parliament and said that Islamabad doesn't consider it illegal. He also said that Pakistan actively blocked any reference to TRF in a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) statement following the massacre.

“We opposed the mention of TRF in the UNSC statement. I got calls from global capitals, but Pakistan will not accept. TRF was deleted, and Pakistan prevailed,” Dar said.

“We don’t consider TRF illegal. Show us proof they carried out the Pahalgam attack. Show ownership by TRF. We won’t accept the allegation, and TRF had to be deleted from the UN press release,” he added.

Pak Deputy PM Ishaq Dar rejected TRF involvement in the Pahalgam attack and said : 'Alhamdulillah we are the non permanent member of UNSC.....we don't consider TRF as illegal...show the evidence that TRF has carried out the Pahalgam attack or show the ownership of TRF... We… pic.twitter.com/qLwDAC4zVy

— OsintTV 📺 (@OsintTV) July 18, 2025

TRF, widely seen as a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) proxy, was recently designated by the United States as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).

It had claimed responsibility for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, in which 26 civilians were killed, the deadliest such assault on Indian soil since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

This revelation drew sharp criticism from strategic observers, especially since both the United States and India had presented intelligence confirming TRF’s role in the attack.

Shortly after Dar’s comments, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated Washington’s decision to sanction TRF.

“TRF, a Lashkar-e-Taiba front and proxy, claimed responsibility for the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam attack which killed 26 civilians,” the State Department said.

“These actions demonstrate the Trump administration’s commitment to protecting our national security interests and seeking justice for victims of terrorism,” Rubio said.

Meanwhile, India responded positively to the US move. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar thanked Washington and underlined the need for global accountability.

“Appreciate SecRubio and @StateDept for designating TRF, a Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) proxy, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). It claimed responsibility for the April 22 Pahalgam attack. Zero tolerance for terrorism,” he posted on X.