After Pahalgam attack, lawmakers press witnesses on Pakistan links to militant groups and need for calibrated U.S. pressure

Members of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee questioned witnesses about Pakistan’s role following the April Pahalgam attack in Indian‑administered Kashmir and the subsequent India–Pakistan escalation.

Representative Scott Perry asked whether Pakistan should face financial sanctions such as relisting to a Financial Action Task Force gray list; Lisa Curtis said that consideration of such steps is reasonable if investigations definitively link perpetrators to Pakistan‑based groups. Curtis described persistent Pakistani tolerance for groups such as Lashkar‑e‑Taiba and Jaish‑e‑Mohammed and urged Pakistani authorities to detain leaders including Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and Masood Azhar, whom she said were not being imprisoned in Pakistan.

Curtis and other witnesses discussed Pakistan’s “dual policies” — cooperating on certain counterterrorism matters while tolerating or supporting other groups — and urged a calibrated U.S. approach that presses Pakistan to shut down organizations that attack India while preserving cooperation on mutual threats such as ISIS‑K. Committee members debated targeted measures, including sanctions, visa restrictions and asset controls; Curtis cautioned against broad visa restrictions for Pakistani students while endorsing targeted actions against individuals shown to materially support terrorism.

The panel also examined Central Asia’s vulnerabilities. Witnesses said Tajikistan, given cross‑border flows and recruitment challenges, warrants prioritized U.S. engagement. Todd highlighted that China's growing military and security ties in Central Asia risk filling any capability gap left by reduced U.S. engagement.

No formal enforcement actions or votes were taken; members sought clarifications and pledged further oversight.