The Expanding Disinformation and Terror Nexus Across Afghanistan and India

The latest exposure of Pakistan-focused hostile networks operating from Afghanistan and India has once again validated Pakistan’s longstanding security concerns. New digital traces revealed through an advanced feature on Platform X confirm that a significant portion of anti-Pakistan activity is being coordinated from these two territories. This is not a matter of a few rogue social media accounts but evidence of a structured cross-border network designed to destabilize Pakistan and amplify extremist narratives.

Afghan Soil as a Persistent Hub of Militant and Propaganda Activity

For Pakistan, the exploitation of Afghan territory by militant groups is neither new nor unexpected. Yet the persistence of this trend raises serious strategic concerns. Groups like the TTP, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, Hizb-e-Gul Bahadur, and Ansar-ul-Sharia continue to operate from safe havens inside Afghanistan. Their media wings and propaganda outlets actively function across the border, promoting anti-Pakistan messaging.

The operation of digital outfits such as Ittihad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan and Sada-e-Haq from Afghanistan shows that the Taliban regime has failed to implement a key clause of the Doha Agreement: preventing Afghan soil from being used against neighboring countries. This lapse casts doubt on both the political will and the capacity of the current Kabul administration.

Extremist Networks Expanding to Europe

What makes the situation more complex is the revelation that some extremist networks are now operating from Europe, particularly Germany. These groups, ideologically aligned with Al-Qaeda, are transitioning from kinetic militancy to global digital influence operations. They use Afghanistan as an ideological and logistical base while exploiting Western digital freedom to expand outreach and recruitment.

A State-Linked Digital Propaganda Operation

A revealing dimension of the investigation is India’s involvement in anti-Pakistan information operations. Accounts posing as “Baloch activists” and pushing separatist narratives were found to be operating from within India. Individuals such as Mir Yaar Baloch (Mazdak Dilshad) have long engaged with Indian media outlets to advance the BLA’s narrative.

Platforms like The Baluchistan Post, which presented itself as an independent Baloch media outlet, are now confirmed to be administered from New Delhi. Similarly, an account associated with “Mahrang Baloch” was traced to Singapore, highlighting the global reach of this network.

These findings demonstrate a coordinated effort by external actors to manufacture digital identities, manipulate public discourse, and destabilize Pakistan through information warfare.

Pakistan’s Position: No Interference, Only Security Guarantees

Pakistan has consistently stated that it has no desire to destabilize Afghanistan or engineer political change there. Its sole demand is clear: Afghan soil must not be used for cross-border terrorism or anti-Pakistan operations. Yet Pakistan now faces hybrid threats on two fronts: militant sanctuaries in Afghanistan and Indian-backed digital propaganda campaigns.

While Afghan-based militants drive physical insecurity, India-linked networks weaken Pakistan’s social cohesion and political stability through narrative manipulation and psychological operations.

Strategic Implications for Regional Stability

The evolving hybrid threat combining terrorism, digital deception, and foreign-backed narrative warfare poses a significant challenge not only to Pakistan but to the broader region. If unaddressed, these operations will intensify regional tensions, empower extremist networks, and foster long-term instability.

Afghanistan must urgently fulfil its regional responsibilities by taking action against groups using its territory to target Pakistan. Meanwhile, the international community must recognize that these networks represent a regional and global security threat, not a bilateral dispute.

The Need for Collective Action

Pakistan’s concerns have once again been proven valid. It is now essential for regional leaders and global stakeholders to acknowledge the seriousness of this emerging threat landscape and take decisive, coordinated action. Ignoring these hybrid networks today will only compound the security challenges of tomorrow, with consequences extending far beyond Pakistan’s borders.