Washington DC: In a striking reversal of his earlier stance, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar has said his country has “no objection” to the United States designating The Resistance Front (TRF) as a terrorist organisation. His remarks come just days after publicly defending the group following its designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) by the US government.

Speaking at a public event in Washington, Dar 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 they are involved.” He further added, “Linking the TRF to the Lashkar-e-Taiba is wrong. That outfit was dismantled years ago by Pakistan. The actors were prosecuted, arrested and jailed, and the entire outfit was destroyed.”

The TRF is believed to be a proxy group of Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and had claimed responsibility for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 civilians. Despite the TRF’s own statement claiming responsibility, Dar had earlier denied the group’s involvement and opposed its naming in international condemnations.

His latest comments mark a significant shift from his earlier declaration in Pakistan’s Parliament, where he stated that Islamabad had opposed TRF’s mention in the UN Security Council’s condemnation of the Pahalgam attack. “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,” he had 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.”

TRF was added to the US terrorism list earlier this July. A statement by the US State Department underlined the group’s involvement in “multiple attacks against India,” including the Pahalgam massacre. “TRF and other associated aliases have been added to LeT’s designation as a FTO and SDGT pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, respectively,” the department said. It added that the move reflected the Trump administration’s “commitment to protecting US national security, countering terrorism, and enforcing President Trump’s call for justice following the Pahalgam attack.”

India had been pushing for TRF’s global designation as a terrorist outfit since 2023. New Delhi submitted representations and evidence to the UN’s 1267 Sanctions Committee in both May and November 2024. The group was banned in India under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in January 2023.

According to the South Asia Terrorism Portal, TRF emerged in 2019 through social media and has since claimed responsibility for numerous attacks across Jammu and Kashmir, targeting civilians, political figures and security personnel. The group’s founder and commander Sheikh Sajjad Gul is already listed as a terrorist under UAPA.

In addition to its armed activities, TRF is accused of radicalising youth online and facilitating the smuggling of arms and narcotics from Pakistan into Indian territory.

Dar’s apparent shift in tone came shortly after his meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “Met with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister @MIshaqDar50 today to discuss expanding bilateral trade and enhancing collaboration in the critical minerals sector. I also thanked him for Pakistan's partnership in countering terrorism and preserving regional stability,” Rubio posted on X.

The Pakistani minister also expressed optimism about a potential trade deal between the two nations, hinting that an agreement could be finalised within days.