Fact check: Had Pakistan been supporting varioust terrorist organisations since late 20th century ?

1. Summary of the results

The evidence overwhelmingly confirms that Pakistan has indeed been supporting various terrorist organizations since the late 20th century. This conclusion is supported by multiple credible sources and even direct admissions from Pakistani officials.

Key findings include:

• Official Pakistani admission: Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif directly admitted that the country supported terrorist groups for three decades, describing it as "dirty work" on behalf of the West and acknowledging it as a "mistake" ^{[1] [2]}
• International accusations: Multiple countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Afghanistan, and India have formally accused Pakistan of supporting terrorist organizations such as the Taliban, Haqqani Network, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) ^[3]
• Historical timeline: The Soviet-Afghan War served as a crucial inflection point when Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) systematically cultivated jihadi infrastructure ^[4]
• Specific organizations supported: Evidence shows Pakistan's backing of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) with detailed infrastructure, financing, and operational support ^[4]
• International consequences: Pakistan's actions have resulted in its placement on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) 'grey list' due to concerns over terror financing ^[5]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks several crucial contextual elements:

• Strategic motivations: Pakistan's support for terrorist groups is driven by complex geopolitical calculations, including limiting India's influence and maintaining proxy groups in Afghanistan for regional leverage ^{[3] [6]}
• Western complicity: Pakistan's Defence Minister characterized the support as "dirty work" on behalf of the West, suggesting that Western powers may have initially encouraged or benefited from Pakistan's proxy warfare strategy during the Cold War era ^[1]
• Internal costs: Pakistan has paid a heavy price for its actions, particularly during the Soviet-Afghan war and post-9/11 period, indicating that the strategy has had significant domestic consequences ^[1]
• Ongoing complexity: Despite efforts to combat terrorism, Pakistan's relationship with militant groups remains complex, with some groups receiving tacit support from elements within the security establishment while others are actively opposed ^[5]
• Pakistani denials: While evidence is overwhelming, Pakistan officially denies these allegations, creating a diplomatic tension between documented evidence and official positions ^[7]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself does not contain misinformation but lacks important nuance:

• Oversimplification: The question treats Pakistan's support as a monolithic policy, when the reality involves complex internal dynamics where different elements of the security establishment may have varying relationships with different terrorist groups ^[5]
• Missing geopolitical context: The question doesn't acknowledge that Pakistan's actions were partly motivated by fears of Indian influence and regional instability, which Pakistani officials use to justify their strategic calculations ^[6]
• Lack of Western accountability: The question fails to address the role of Western powers who may have initially encouraged Pakistan's proxy warfare capabilities during the Cold War, as suggested by Pakistani officials' characterization of it as work done "on behalf of the West" ^[1]

The evidence conclusively demonstrates that Pakistan has supported various terrorist organizations since the late 20th century, with this support being acknowledged by Pakistani officials themselves and documented by multiple international sources.