The Harakat Inqilab Islami Pakistan (IIP) is a newly formed jihadist group in Pakistan that officially announced its formation via a seven-minute video released on March 17, 2025. The group’s leader, Ghazi Shahabuddin, stated in the video that Pakistani security forces will be their primary target. The group also expressed openness to collaboration with other mujahideen organizations in the region, marking a potential escalation in Pakistan’s internal security challenges.
The declaration of the group’s formation came shortly after the death of Mufti Munir Shakir, a prominent cleric and critic of the Pakistani state, who was killed in an IED blast in Peshawar. Shakir’s son directly blamed Pakistani intelligence for the attack, sparking widespread protests and anti-military slogans.
Harakat Inqilab Islami Pakistan aims to focus its operations inside Pakistan, particularly against security forces. This is in line with the broader trend of other terrorist organizations in the region, such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has stepped up its attacks against the state in recent years.
There are indications that the IIP may be an offshoot of al-Qaeda, given its focus on Pakistan and willingness to collaborate with other militant factions. Not only that, the launch video featured al-Qaeda’s signature white flags with the black Shahada. It also features a recurring pattern of al-Qaeda-affiliated groups operating in Pakistan, often using local networks to carry out attacks.
The emergence of the IIP adds to Pakistan’s ongoing struggle against terrorist violence, particularly in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan region, where groups like the TTP have already been active for decades. The formation of the group and its stated intention to target security forces could further destabilize the region, especially if it were to form alliances with other organizations.
It also appears that the IIP claimed its first attack in North Waziristan (see photo in Urdu) on March 18.
Below is a brief, non-exhaustive overview of other terrorist organizations active in Pakistan.
Lashkar-e-Taiba: focuses on attacks against India, particularly in Kashmir, with the aim of establishing an Islamic caliphate in South Asia. It has also been involved in attacks inside Pakistan, for example in Karachi. It follows the Salafi-Wahhabi “Ahl-e-Hadith” ideology, rejecting state laws in favor of a rather rigid interpretation of Islam.
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP): Efforts to create an insurgency against the Pakistani state, targeting both security forces and civilians with targeted killings and suicide bombings. Seeks to impose Sharia law and has been involved in sectarian violence. Adopts a Deobandi interpretation of Islam, similar to the Afghan Taliban.
Beatrice Domenica Penali
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