(a) whether a large number of persons have been recently recruited by the Pakistan based terrorist organisations;
(b) if so, the facts in this regard; including the number of Indian nationals among them; and
(c) the names of these terrorist organisations operating from Pakistan?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI DIGVIJAY SINGH)
(a) & (b) Yes. According to available information, Pakistan-based terrorist organisations continue to recruit in large numbers, inter alia, for the purpose of carrying out terrorist attacks in India, including in J&K.
Overwhelming majority of the terrorists infiltrated from across the borders, as well as the LOC, are Pakistani nationals, which clearly shows that Pakistan remains the epicentre of terrorism in the world today. The Pakistani State and its agencies continue to use terrorism as an instrument of policy and continue to sponsor the breeding and indoctrination of armed irregulars for carrying out subversive and terrorist activities elsewhere, including in neighbouring countries.
(c) There are a number of terrorist organisations that are operating from Pakistan and territory under Pakistani control, including the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, Jaish-e-Muhammad, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islami, Hizbul Mujahideen, etc. Many countries and international organisations have banned some of these terrorist organisations. Terrorist groups including Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, Jaish-e-Muhammad and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen have also been proscribed by Government of Pakistan, yet they continue to function including under new names.