Latest news with #Ahl-e-Hadith
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Notorious nine: Why India hit them
NEW DELHI: Of the nine targets struck by India early Wednesday, 's base in Muridke and Jaish-e-Muhammed's Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur were the most important. Unabashed protection of Pakistan's army and ISI was the reason Muridke and Bahawalpur thrived as terror sanctuaries with seeming impunity for decades. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Located in Pakistan's Punjab province, the very base of the country's military-intelligence complex, the two seminaries, inspired by hardline versions of Ahl-e-Hadith and Deoband schools of thought, seemed impregnable. Until Tuesday when the Indian Army and IAF hit them with precision strikes. The Markaz, sprawling over 15 acres, has been JeM's primary hub for training and indoctrination of jihadis. It was where Maulana Masood Azhar, after sliding under the radar for nearly two years following international pressure on ISI, resurfaced on Nov 30, 2024. In his speech to JeM members, he reiterated his unrelenting hostility towards India, vowing revenge for the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya at the site of Babri Masjid. A dozen terror strikes, including Pulwama, plotted at Bahawalpur His comeback event was attended by key figures, including younger brother Maulana Talha Saif and son Mohammad Abdullah Bin Masood. India had dealt the first major blow to a terror seminary in 2019, when it attacked Jaish camps in Balakot - regarded as the "first launchpad for jihad" by Syed Ahmed Barelvi - to avenge the killing of 40 CRPF troopers in Pulwama. The fear generated by India's air strikes then appeared to have worn thin, encouraging Jaish to resume its terror campaign. LeT, though chastened for a while after a mysterious terror attack near the residence of its founder , had also stepped up its attacks. Located on NH-5 (Karachi-Torkham Highway) in Bahawalpur (Punjab province), the Markaz served as the operational headquarters of JeM. Over a dozen significant terror strikes, including the 2019 Pulwama attack, were planned here. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The perpetrators of the had even trained at this facility which has been home to over 600 cadres and hosted regular training sessions for JeM members. The intelligence dossier shared with various foreign govts said the Markaz was constructed with the support of Pakistan's provincial and federal govts, supplemented by funds raised by JeM. The complex boasts modern facilities, including a gymnasium and swimming pool for underwater training to terrorists besides a stable. Muridke's Markaz Taiba, LeT's main training hub, was no less important as a strategic objective. Located in Nangal Sahdan, the 82-acre complex houses a madrassa, a market, residential quarters for operatives, sports facilities, a fish farm and fields, making it a self-sustaining terror training facility. Al Qaida chief Osama bin Laden had contributed Pakistani Rs 10 million for construction of a mosque and a guest house within the Markaz Taiba complex. The complex served as a multipurpose facility for LeT, offering training in arms and physical combat, as well as 'dawah' and indoctrination programmes for terrorists from Pakistan and abroad. The perpetrators of the 26/11 attack, including Ajmal Kasab, were imparted 'Daura-e-Ribat' (training in collecting intelligence) at this facility which was even visited by David Coleman Headley. Annually, around 1,000 students enrol in various courses. The facility also hosted periodic training sessions for LeT's top leadership. Another big name on India's target list was JeM's Syedna Bilal Markaz in Muzaffarabad in POK. This facility was used as a transit camp for JeM terrorists before they were launched into J&K. At any point of time, 50-100 cadres resided in this facility. Specialised training was provided by Pakistan's Special Service Group, an elite wing to which former dictator Pervez Musharraf belonged. JeM's operational commander and head of PKK Mufti Asghar Khan Kashmiri is in-charge of the facility that also operates as the base for digging of cross-border tunnels for infiltration of terrorists. Among other targets hit by India, Sarjal and Tehra Kalan served as JeM's primary launchpad in Pakistan's Punjab, operating from inside a primary health centre and facilitating cross-border tunnel digging and drone operations for arms and narcotics smuggling. Mehmoona Joya, a Hizbul Mujahideen facility in Sialkot, was also concealed inside a health unit. It provided weapons training, besides coordinating terrorist infiltration into Jammu under Irfan Tanda. Additionally, an LeT camp in Barnala (PoK), Markaz Ahle Hadith, with a capacity for 100-150 cadres, was reduced to ashes. JeM's Markaz Abbas in Kotli, headed by NIA-wanted Qari Zarar, planned terror strikes and coordinated infiltration into Poonch and Rajouri sectors. Hizbul Mujahideen's Markaz Raheel Shahid in Kotli trained terrorists in Border Action Team operations and sniping attacks.
News18
30-04-2025
- Politics
- News18
Inside Pakistan's Terror Playbook: Army, ISI, And The Use Of Militancy As State Policy
Last Updated: The Pahalgam attack is the latest chapter in Pakistan's decades-long strategy where the military and ISI train, fund, and shield terror groups to destabilise India The deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that left 26 civilians dead has once again exposed Pakistan's continued use of terrorism as a tool of state policy. Intelligence inputs suggest that the assault, carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba's (LeT) proxy outfit, The Resistance Front, was incited by Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir's 'jugular vein" reference to Kashmir. This latest strike is not an isolated incident but part of a long-standing strategy by Pakistan's military-intelligence establishment. Viewing India as an existential adversary, the Pakistan Army has institutionalised terror as a low-cost weapon to destabilise its neighbour while tightening its grip over civilian institutions at home. The Proxy Playbook Groups like LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) are trained specifically to execute attacks in Kashmir and other parts of India. These efforts are designed to keep the Kashmir conflict alive internationally and bleed India 'through a thousand cuts." Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) continues to fund, arm, and train these militant outfits. LeT alone is reported to operate 2,200 offices across Pakistan, with active training camps in Punjab and Kashmir. Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) also receives support from the ISI. Terrorism, however, serves not just as an external weapon but also as a domestic tool. By positioning itself as the guardian against external threats, the Army has justified its dominance over Pakistan's civilian apparatus. Internally, the military's alignment with Deobandi and Ahl-e-Hadith groups has fostered a Sunni Islamist identity, marginalising minorities such as Shias and Ahmadis. Sectarian outfits like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi have been used to target these communities. These domestic attacks reinforce the army's narrative of Islamic unity in the face of both internal and external threats. The Pakistan Army's ties with jihadist networks are longstanding. During the Soviet-Afghan War, it collaborated with Deobandi madrassas and trained mujahideen with US and Saudi funding. In 2001, the Pakistani Air Force orchestrated the Kunduz airlift, evacuating 5,000 Taliban and Al-Qaeda leaders who had been encircled by NATO forces. The Army and ISI have also long fuelled separatist violence in Kashmir, a strategy that dates back to 1947. Global Attention, Minimal Action Pakistan's record has drawn frequent attention in international reports. The country has been cited by the United States for providing safe havens to groups like LeT. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) placed Pakistan on its 'grey list" multiple times for failing to curb terror financing, with the last removal taking place in 2022. In 2008, the Brookings Institution had labelled Pakistan 'the world's most active sponsor of terrorism." Despite mounting evidence, the European Union has been criticised for ignoring Pakistan's role. A 2020 European Parliament report flagged 'inefficient policies pushed by the military" and Pakistan's failure to act against groups like LeT, even as ISI-backed groups operated freely. Admissions From Within Senior Pakistani leaders have, over time, openly acknowledged the state's involvement in fuelling terrorism. Former President Pervez Musharraf admitted that Pakistan trained and supported LeT and JeM to fight in Kashmir — calling it a strategy to 'internationalise" the issue. Nawaz Sharif had implied government involvement in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. His successor, Imran Khan, admitted that 30,000 to 40,000 terrorists were operating on Pakistani soil, blaming previous administrations for hiding the truth. ISI's Terror Trail The ISI has been linked to several major terror attacks targeting India. These include the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 civilians, the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, the 2007 Hyderabad bombings, and the 2008 bombing of the Indian Embassy in Kabul — the last of which was confirmed by US intelligence. Blowback At Home The policy of nurturing jihadist groups has backfired. Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, once used to target minorities, has contributed to rising sectarian violence against Shias, Ahmadis, and Sufis. The 2010 attack on Lahore's Data Darbar shrine and other Sufi sites has been traced back to ISI-backed militants. Pakistan's state-led Islamisation under General Zia-ul-Haq between 1979 and 1988 embedded jihadist ideology in educational and military institutions — a legacy that continues to radicalise segments of society. Today, the very militants once supported by the state have turned their guns on it. Groups like Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are now targeting the Pakistani military. In March 2025 alone, over 335 Pakistanis were killed — the deadliest month in a decade. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : jammu and kashmir Pahalgam attack Pakistan ISI Pakistan terrorism Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: April 30, 2025, 14:30 IST News world Inside Pakistan's Terror Playbook: Army, ISI, And The Use Of Militancy As State Policy
