Seminar in Nepal: Pakistan Based Terrorism Threatens Regional Stability

Kathmandu, 9 July 2025: In a high-level seminar hosted by the Nepal Institute for International Cooperation and Engagement (NIICE) in Kathmandu, security experts, diplomats, and former ministers from across South Asia convened to address the escalating threat of terrorism in the region, particularly emanating from Pakistan-based groups.

Titled ‘Terrorism in South Asia: Challenges to Regional Peace and Security,’ the seminar underscored the destabilizing role of internationally sanctioned terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), both of which have longstanding ties with Al-Qaida and continue to operate out of Pakistan.

Sunil Bahadur Thapa, Advisor to the President of Nepal and former Minister of Industry, warned of the cross-border risks posed by these groups. He noted that they not only endanger Indian security but could also exploit Nepal as a transit point for their operations.

Former Defence Minister of Nepal Dr. Minendra Rijal emphasized the broader regional implications of terrorism, cautioning that an attack on India would have inevitable spillover effects on Nepal. He criticized Pakistan’s persistent support for terrorism, stating it has rendered SAARC ineffective and thwarted economic cooperation in the region. Dr. Rijal urged the international community to show unified resolve against terrorism, drawing parallels to the post-9/11 global solidarity.

Addressing financial enablers of terrorism, Member of Parliament Chanda Chaudhary stressed the urgent need to curb money laundering as a tool to prevent the funding of cross-border terror networks.

Former Minister Shisir Khanal lauded India’s swift and decisive response through Operation Sindoor and diplomatic expulsions of Pakistani officials, which, he argued, have set a new precedent in regional counter-terrorism strategy.

Highlighting the brutal nature of recent attacks, Dr. Dinesh Bhattarai, former Diplomat and Advisor to the former Prime Minister of Nepal, recalled the horrific April 2025 Pahalgam massacre, where victims were asked to reveal their religion before being executed with gunshots to the head.

Former Foreign Affairs Minister NP Saud urged the formulation of a collective regional mechanism to tackle terrorism, stating that no nation is immune to its consequences.

Echoing the call for consistency in counter-terror efforts, Dr. Purna Silwal, former Major General of the Nepal Army, stated that the fight against terrorism cannot afford double standards.

Ambassador Madhu Raman Acharya, former Foreign Secretary of Nepal, emphasized the importance of cross-border cooperation between Nepal and India, including intelligence sharing and joint patrols. “In the fight against terrorism, we stand with India,” he asserted.

Referencing past incidents like the hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC-814 from Kathmandu and the recent Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians—including a Nepali national—Sumitra Karki, Director of NIICE, highlighted Nepal’s strategic vulnerability to cross-border terrorism.

Dr. Pramod Jaiswal, Research Director at NIICE, reiterated that Pakistan has long been the epicenter of terrorism in South Asia. He cited a recent statement by Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, who admitted publicly that Pakistan had funded, trained, and supported terrorists for nearly three decades, often in alignment with U.S., U.K., and Western interests.

The seminar drew more than 150 participants, including members of the diplomatic corps, civil society leaders, security personnel, policymakers, journalists, and academics, all of whom emphasized the pressing need for cooperative, regional, and global strategies to combat terrorism effectively.