Pakistan's Jihadism: Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and Local Militants ()

Key Chapter Title List

1. Introduction: The Ecology of Jihadism in Pakistan and Core Issues
2. Early Contacts between Pakistan's Deep State, Al-Qaeda, and Jihadists (1980-2001)
3. The Strategic Evolution of Global Jihadist Organizations in Pakistan Post-2001
4. The Pakistani Taliban Movement: The "Bastard Child" of Global Jihad
5. Sunni Supremacists: Al-Qaeda's Unusual Allies
6. Global Jihad and Kashmir Jihad: Cooperation or Assimilation?
7. Conclusion

Document Introduction

This report, based on original field research, provides an in-depth analysis of the complex and evolving dynamics between global jihadist organizations (primarily Al-Qaeda and its affiliate AQIS, as well as the Islamic State) and local jihadist armed groups within Pakistan. The core of the study explores how Pakistan's military and intelligence agencies (the "Deep State") gradually lost control over these jihadist groups while utilizing them as instruments of foreign policy, and how Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State exploited this gap to expand their influence. The report challenges the traditional view that simplifies Al-Qaeda as a monolithic "franchise" model, revealing its greater reliance in South Asia on an "advisor and assistance" model, cultivating networks of "clients" and "allies" through funding, training, and advice, rather than establishing powerful, direct branches.

The research employs a unique hybrid methodology, the cornerstone of which involves 114 interviews, telephone contacts, or meetings conducted by local researchers between 2013 and 2020, engaging with current or former members of 36 jihadist organizations, including the Pakistani Taliban Movement, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Harakat-ul-Jihad al-Islami, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, the Islamic State's Khorasan and Pakistan provinces, and Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent. Additionally, intelligence officials, tribal elders, and donors from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran were interviewed. Through multiple rounds of cross-verification from various channels and the screening of sensitive information, the research team strives to reconstruct the facts as accurately as possible within a highly sensitive environment rife with disinformation.

The report meticulously traces the genealogical evolution of jihadism in Pakistan from the 1980s Afghan anti-Soviet war to the present. Initially, Pakistan successfully shaped its surrounding strategic environment by supporting Afghan mujahideen and Kashmiri armed groups. However, post-9/11, particularly following the US invasion of Afghanistan, core Al-Qaeda members flowed into Pakistan and established deep connections with local jihadist groups. Key chapters analyze the rise, internal fragmentation, and conflict with the Pakistani state of the Pakistani Taliban Movement as a key Al-Qaeda "client"; examine the pragmatic, rather than ideologically consistent, alliances between Al-Qaeda and Sunni extremist sectarian groups (such as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi); and explore how armed groups focused on Kashmir (like Lashkar-e-Taiba) maintain cooperation with both the Pakistani state and Al-Qaeda.

A key finding of the study is that the relationship between Al-Qaeda and Pakistan's "Deep State" is not simply one of antagonism or collusion, but has undergone multiple cycles of "agreements" and ruptures (e.g., alleged agreements in 2005, 2014, 2019), its nature fluctuating with changes in the regional situation and US pressure. Concurrently, the Islamic State's entry into South Asia since 2014, through its Khorasan and Pakistan provinces, has further complicated the landscape by competing with Al-Qaeda for the loyalty of local jihadist groups. The report notes that despite strategic and ideological differences between the two major global jihadist organizations, their operational practices in Pakistan exhibit a high degree of pragmatism and local adaptation.

Ultimately, this report provides a first-hand, in-depth analysis for understanding the complexity of Pakistan as a crucial hub for global jihadism. It reveals the blurred lines between state and non-state actors in Pakistan, the localized limitations of global jihadist strategies, and the enduring challenges this complex interaction poses to Pakistan's internal stability and regional security in South Asia.