Same Target, Different Tactics: How Commanders Of Jaish And Lashkar Operate

News18

02-05-2025

Last Updated:
While Rauf Azhar of JeM believes in high-intensity attacks, Sajid Jatt of LeT prefers sustained insurgency with help from ISI, posing a long-term threat to regional stability.
Two deadly terror organisations, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), are led by deadlier commanders with distinct tactics and two different ideologies. While Rauf Azhar of JeM believes in high-intensity attacks, Sajid Jatt of LeT prefers sustained insurgency under the guidance of the ISI, posing a long-term threat to regional stability.
Rauf Azhar is the mastermind behind some of the deadliest attacks in India, including the 2001 Parliament attack, the 2016 Pathankot airbase assault, and the 2019 Pulwama bombing that resulted in the death of 40 CRPF personnel. He also orchestrated the 1999 Kandahar hijacking, which led to the release of Masood Azhar. Rauf Azhar embodies JeM's sectarian radicalism and high-risk operations.
On the other hand, Sajid Jatt represents LeT's insurgency, closely aligned with the ISI. While Rauf's attacks have immediate devastating impacts, Jatt's adaptive insurgency presents a prolonged challenge to regional peace.
CNN-News18 delves into the operational methods of both terrorists. The commanders of Jaish and Lashkar share similar goals but differ in ideologies and tactics. Rauf Azhar, from the Deobandi sect, emphasises strict Sunni orthodoxy and violence against Shias and other minorities. His leadership has led to internal splits within JeM, with members rebelling against Masood Azhar for prioritising Kashmir over global jihad. Historically, Rauf Azhar's faction has targeted Pakistani Christians and state symbols, including assassination attempts on Pervez Musharraf.
Sajid Jatt, influenced by the Ahl-e-Hadith sect followed by LeT, aligns with Salafism and focuses on Kashmir-centric jihad while avoiding direct confrontation with the Pakistani state. Unlike JeM, LeT maintains close ties with the ISI. Post-2019, TRF, a proxy of LeT, was created to portray terrorism as a local Kashmiri movement, thereby avoiding international scrutiny.
Rauf Azhar masterminded major attacks like the 2001 Parliament strike, the 2016 Pathankot assault, and the 2019 Pulwama bombing, escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. He relies on encrypted devices and public rallies in Pakistan to incite violence, as seen in his 2017 speech threatening an attack bigger than Pathankot.
Sajid Jatt manages TRF operations under a domestic front disguise, using drones for weapon drops and encrypted apps like Telegram and WhatsApp for recruitment and propaganda. Recent attacks, such as the 2025 Pahalgam massacre, involved checking victims' IDs to target Hindus and spare Muslims, aiming to incite communal tensions.
JeM has splintered into factions like Jamaat-ul-Furqan (JuF) due to internal dissent against Masood Azhar's loyalty to Pakistan. Rauf Azhar's leadership is marked by alliances with Al-Qaeda and internal conflicts. Jaish operates like a family enterprise, with Rauf Azhar and his brother Masood Azhar centralizing control, resulting in operational rigidity.
LeT maintains a structured hierarchy under Hafiz Saeed, with TRF acting as a deniable proxy. Sajid Jatt coordinates with senior LeT leaders and ISI handlers. LeT fighters are trained in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and associated with Al-Qaeda. They are suspected of procuring encrypted technology through ISI-China networks.
LeT, co-founded by Osama bin Laden, prioritises Kashmir over global jihad to retain ISI support. The organisation receives funding and political cover from Pakistan, with leaders like Hafiz Saeed operating openly. JeM aims to provoke military retaliation from India to internationalise the Kashmir issue, as seen after Pulwama. Jaish also targets Shias and Christians within Pakistan, complicating its relationship with ISI.
Lashkar focuses on sustained warfare in Kashmir, using TRF to maintain a low-intensity conflict while avoiding Financial Action Task Force (FATF) blacklisting. LeT exploits social media to glorify militancy and recruit youth, presenting TRF as a resistance movement.
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First Published:
May 02, 2025, 12:58 IST