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Memri
4 hours ago
- General
- Memri
The Pakistani Army's Complicity With Jihadi Groups
On the night of May 6-7, 2025, India launched missiles at nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). These sites were mosques and madrassas (Islamic religious seminaries) that double as training centers, residences, and hideouts used by Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), and other jihadi terror organizations. All these sites have been in Pakistani territories for decades, indicating that Pakistan's use of non-state actors as instruments of state policy to foment terrorism with dangerous repercussions for the region. The Pakistani Army is actually complicit in encouraging, financing, training, and supporting these terror groups. The Nine Sites Hit By India The nine jihadi sites hit by India are: 1. Center Subhan Allah, JeM, Bahawalpur, Punjab Province 2. Center Taiba, LeT, Muridke, Lahore, Punjab Province 3. Sarjal/Tehra Kalan facility, JeM, Shakargarh, Narowal District, Punjab Province 4. Mehmoona Joya Facility, HuM, Head Marala, Sialkot, Punjab Province 5. Center Ahle Hadith Barnala, LeT, Bhimber District, Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) 6. Center Abbas Mosque, JeM, Kotli, PoK 7. Maskar Raheel Shahid Training Center, Hizbul-Mujahideen, Kotli, PoK 8. Shawai Nallah Camp, LeT, Muzaffarabad, PoK 9. Syedna Bilal Center, JeM, Muzaffarabad, PoK JeM is headed by Maulana Masood Azhar, who was among three terror commanders freed by India in 1999 in exchange for the Indian Airlines Flight 814 hijacked from Kathmandu to Kandahar. LeT is headed by Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, who is supposed to be in prison but lives under house arrest, protected by Pakistani intelligence. HuM is headed by Syed Salahuddin aka Mohammad Yusuf Shah, who is also the leader of the United Jihad Council, a network of anti-India jihadi organizations in Pakistan. It is worth noting that LeT uses Shawai Nallah Camp (Site Eight) also known as Bait-ul-Mujahideen "for recruitment, registration, and training. This camp has been functional since early 2000." David Coleman Headley, the main accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, had undergone basic training in Shawai Nallah, in 2002. He also underwent training in Manshera, KPK, and Markaz Taiba, Muridke. Inside the Shawai Nallah camp, there was the "Bilal Shawai Mosque," which was also hit during India's strike on the night of May 6-7. Some Indian observers believe that Pakistan dubbed its May 10[1] military operation against India "Operation Bunyan Al-Marsoos"[2] because this phrase from the Quran, which in Arabic means "a solid, compact structure" or "a structure made of lead" was written at the entrance of the "Bilal Shawai Mosque." This claim is difficult to verify as the phrase can be found in and on many mosques. In the Quran, the phrase describes those who fight in the way of God as being "like a [solid] structure." Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Asim Munir is a hafiz, or someone who has memorized the Quran. The Quranic verse written at the entrance of the Syedna Bilal jihadi camp that was hosted in the "Bilal Shawai Mosque," in Muzaffarabad, in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Shawai Nallah is close to another jihadi camp: the Syedna Bilal Center/Markaz (Site Nine), used by JeM. It is situated opposite the Red Fort, in Muzaffarabad. The Syedna Bilal Center/Markaz is a mosque and training center. "The JeM's office and transit camp are located on a first floor adjacent to the building of Syedna Bilal Masjid. The mosque building consists of a three-story building; a Hijama [pressure cupping medical therapy] center is located on the ground floor. This facility is spread over 8-10 kanals and has family quarters, office building, and office of the Al-Rehmat Trust, the charity wing of JeM."[3] According to reports, the camp was used for weapons training, bomb-making, and jungle survival exercises for JeM operatives. Its location near Muzaffarabad's Red Fort made it a high-security zone, allowing JeM to operate with relative impunity. Intelligence linked the camp to recent terror strikes, including the heinous Pahalgam terrorist attack on April 22, 2025, which targeted Hindu men. The Indian online news outlet The Probe[4] reported: "The camp was a transit point for 50-100 terrorists at any given time, preparing them for infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir to carry out attacks. The camp's strategic significance stemmed from its role in coordinating logistics and training, with credible reports indicating the involvement of Pakistan Army's Special Services Group (SSG) in providing specialized training to JeM operatives. The precision missile strike on the Syedna Bilal Camp aimed to dismantle this nexus between JeM and elements of the Pakistani military, significantly disrupting the group's ability to orchestrate cross-border terrorism."[5] Complicity Of The Pakistani Army Operation Sindoor, India's May 7 airstrikes against Pakistan, killed several terrorists linked to Pakistan-based groups. Photos appeared of top Pakistan military officers attending a funeral of these terrorists. "Photos of top Pakistan officers attending the funeral of these terrorists in military uniform had gone viral, exposing the decades-old nexus between Pakistan's army and terrorists. India has flagged an image – showing the coffin of a terrorist draped in Pakistan's flag – as the undeniable evidence of Pakistan's involvement in global terrorism," Indian media outlet reported. "The Pakistani armed forces have claimed that Hafiz Abdur Rauf, a US-designated global terrorist, who led the funeral of the terrorists killed in Indian airstrikes during Operation Sindoor is an ordinary citizen. Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Pakistan's Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR), categorically denied that the man seen in the image was a terrorist. Instead, he was described as a religious leader and 'a common family man'… The man identified by Pakistan as a cleric is Hafiz Abdur Rauf, a senior leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and head of the now-banned Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), both of which are designated terrorist entities under US and United Nations sanctions." ( May 12, 2025) "The funeral prayer for several terrorists eliminated in India's Operation Sindoor was attended by the Pakistan Army personnel and members of the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) of Hafiz Saeed … The funeral prayer for Qari Abdul Malik, Khalid and Mudassir was held in Muridke amid high security, said Tabish Qayyum, spokesperson of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League, a political wing of JuD. Along with the Pakistani Army and JuD members, members of the civil bureaucracy were also present at the funeral, said Qayyum, who also attended the event. The funeral prayer was led by Hafiz Abdul Rauf, with prayers offered for the safety and security of the country. He claimed that Malik, Khalid, and Mudassir, believed to be members of the JuD, served as the mosque's prayer leaders and caretakers. The bodies were later sent to their native areas for burial." (Source: May 7, 2025) It is worth noting that the airstrike on JeM headquarters, Subhan Allah Center/Mosque, Bahawalpur (Site One), conducted by Indian Armed Forces, killed at least 20 terrorists. The injured terrorists were taken to B. Victoria Hospital, in Bahawalpur, and were visited by several officers of the Pakistani establishment led by Lt. Gen. Muhammad Aqeel (XXXI Corps Commander). Yet, the Pakistani media claimed that Lt. Gen. Aqeel went to visit civilians who were hurt in the Indian missile attack. It is worth noting that, in a statement, JeM Chief, Maulana Masood Azhar, said that 10 members of his family and four close associates were also killed in the attack by India on the Subhan Allah Mosque in Bahawalpur.[6] (Source: X) (Source:
Japan Forward
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Forward
Senseless Acts of Terror Shatter the Calm Between India and Pakistan
On April 22, 2025, one of the deadliest terror attacks in recent memory unfolded at Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam, a picturesque hill station in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district. Militants opened fire on a group of tourists, claiming the lives of at least 26 individuals and leaving 17 others injured. Among the victims were predominantly Indian tourists, including five from Maharashtra, alongside one foreign national and two local residents. The attack was timed to coincide with United States Vice President JD Vance's visit to India and the burgeoning tourist and trekking season. It unfolded at approximately 3 PM, striking a devastating blow to Jammu and Kashmir's growing tourism industry. Armed militants descended upon the idyllic grassland of Baisaran, often referred to as "mini Switzerland." They unleashed gunfire on unsuspecting tourists enjoying the serene surroundings — picnicking, taking pony rides, and dining at local eateries. This chilling act of violence shattered the calm that had begun to take root in the region. A fragile ceasefire between India and Pakistan is attempting to keep the problem from escalating. As the news of the targeted assault spread, The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow organization of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the attack. It was a heinous act, carried out in a remote area accessible only on foot or by pony. As such, it represents the gravest civilian tragedy in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama bombing. Intelligence reports suggest the assailants infiltrated from the Kishtwar region. They navigated treacherous mountainous terrain to reach Baisaran via Kokernag in south Kashmir. The isolation of the site is believed to have facilitated both their movement and the execution of this devastating assault. TRF was established in 2019, shortly after the Indian Parliament revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status. Its creation reflects a deliberate strategy by Pakistan to mask its sponsorship of terrorism in that region. Operating as a proxy for LeT, TRF is presented as an indigenous entity to deflect international scrutiny. By claiming responsibility for the Pahalgam terror attack, TRF underscores its alignment with LeT's objectives, perpetuating violence and instability in the region under the guise of a separate identity. Women walk towards their damaged house in the Indian-controlled area of Kashmir on May 10. (©Reuters via Kyodo) The tragedy at Pahalgam has reopened wounds from a series of terror attacks orchestrated by LeT, also known as Jama'at-ud-Da'awa. According to Indian sources, it is led by Hafiz Muhammad Saeed. Based in Muridke near Lahore, Pakistan, LeT's actions underscore the urgent need for vigilance, inter-agency coordination, and community involvement to combat terrorism. LeT's ideology extends beyond contesting India's sovereignty over Jammu and Kashmir. Its agenda, detailed in the pamphlet Why are we waging jihad , advocates for the reestablishment of Islamic rule across India. The group operates training camps and recruitment centers throughout Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Locations such as Muzaffarabad are among them. LeT first emerged in Jammu and Kashmir in 1993, when 12 Pakistani and Afghan mercenaries crossed the Line of Control alongside the Islami Inquilabi Mahaz, a terrorist outfit active in Poonch district. Following the Kargil War of 1999, LeT adopted a Fidayeen strategy, where small groups of 2-5 militants targeted security forces camps. Another tactic involved LeT cadres, disguised in security force uniforms, attacking remote villages to massacre Hindu or Sikh civilians. Notable atrocities include the 1998 Wandhama massacre, where 23 Kashmiri Pandits were killed. Then in it carried out the 2000 Chittisinghpura massacre, where 35 Sikhs were murdered, allegedly to provoke communal unrest during President Bill Clinton's visit to India. It also took credit for the 2000 Red Fort attack in New Delhi and an assault on Srinagar Airport, which resulted in the deaths of five Indian civilians and six militants. A man walks through rubble after a Pakistani military attack in Indian-controlled areas of Jammu and Kashmir on May 10th (©Reuters via Kyodo) LeT has left a trail of devastation through a series of calculated attacks over the years. It claimed responsibility for an assault on Indian security forces along the border. In December 2001, the Indian government accused LeT, alongside Jaish-e-Mohammed, of orchestrating the deadly attack on the Parliament in Delhi. Thirty-one lives were lost in the May 2002 Kaluchak massacre. That prompted the Australian government to designate LeT as a terrorist organization. The group struck again in March 2003 with the Nadimarg massacre, killing 24 Kashmiri Pandits. During Diwali in 2005, LeT bombed bustling Delhi markets, claiming 60 lives and injuring over 500. And there had been several other terrorist acts where the organization claimed credit. LeT's propaganda arm issued a fatwa against Pope Benedict XVI in September 2006. Then, days later, top militant Abu Saad was killed in Kulgam, revealing the group's extensive operations. The 2008 Mumbai attacks, a horrifying blend of bombings, shootings, and hostage-taking, were later confirmed to be orchestrated by LeT with support from Pakistan's ISI and Army. Under international pressure, Pakistan launched operations against LeT in December 2008. Nevertheless, in 2009, LeT issued ultimatums enforcing Islamic dress codes in Jammu and Kashmir. It also plotted attacks on Jewish religious sites in Pune and other tourist locations. Intelligence reports revealed chilling instructions given to the gunmen during the Mumbai attacks, emphasizing the group's ruthless ideology. LeT's ties to Pakistan's ISI have been well-documented, with financial and material support aiding its operations. In 2010, Interpol issued warrants for two Pakistani Army officers linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Those highlighted the group's expanding network in Jammu, targeting regions with significant Punjabi populations. The Resistance Front (TRF) operates as an extension of LeT, furthering its agenda under a different guise. Since 2019, TRF has orchestrated activities that jeopardize peace and security in the Jammu and Kashmir region. These include planning attacks on security forces and civilians, facilitating the transportation of weapons for banned terrorist groups, recruiting militants, infiltrating across borders, and smuggling arms and narcotics. Saifullah Sajid Jutt, also known as Saifullah Kasuri, a prominent LeT commander, is believed to have masterminded the recent devastating terrorist attack in Pahalgam. A native of Shangamanga village in Pakistan's Punjab province, Jutt has been identified by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as a "hardcore terrorist." Some reports by experts indicate that TRF is a calculated creation of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Those reports say it is designed to mask its sponsorship of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir by giving it a veneer of indigenous origin. This strategy allows Pakistan to distance itself from direct involvement, enabling plausible deniability on the global stage. In January 2023, TRF was officially banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and its commander, Sheikh Sajjad Gul, was designated a terrorist. This designation follows allegations of TRF's involvement in the conspiracy to assassinate Kashmiri journalist Shujaat Bukhari in June 2018. The TRF's actions, closely aligned with LeT's objectives, underscore its role as a dangerous proxy in the region's ongoing conflict. According to some experts, ISI's objective in launching TRF was twofold. First, to deflect international scrutiny, particularly from the Financial Action Task Force, which monitors terror financing. Second, to sustain its jihadi terror operations under a deceptive guise. By adopting neutral-sounding names like The Resistance Front or the JK Pir Panjal Peace Forum, the ISI avoids overt religious connotations. In turn, that furthers the illusion of a homegrown movement. TRF's emergence and operations are emblematic of Pakistan's long-standing strategy to deflect attention from its internal challenges by exporting terror under the guise of indigenous movements. This calculated approach allows Pakistan to maintain plausible deniability while sustaining its disruptive agenda in Jammu and Kashmir. Adding to this narrative is the provocative speech by Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir, which went viral for its incendiary reinforcement of the Two-Nation Theory — the ideological foundation behind the partition of India in 1947. Delivered by the head of a uniformed force, the speech was strikingly uncharacteristic, as it sought to emphasize the supposed differences between Muslims and Hindus in India. Munir's remarks appear to be a deliberate attempt to sow division and send a pointed message to Indian Muslims, asserting their distinctiveness from their Hindu counterparts. Pakistan Army's desire to assert its dominance in national affairs, even at the expense of diplomatic decorum and regional stability. This confluence of TRF's activities and the Pakistan Army's inflammatory posturing highlights a broader pattern of destabilization. Proxies and propaganda are wielded as tools to perpetuate conflict and deflect scrutiny from Pakistan's own governance and societal issues. The implications of these actions extend far beyond the borders of Jammu and Kashmir, threatening peace and harmony in the region. There is a ceasefire now, but much work needs to be done before there is a long-term peace. Author: Professor Pema Gyalpo
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Who are the armed groups India accuses Pakistan of backing?
Tensions are higher between India and Pakistan than they have been in decades as the two countries trade blame for drone attacks on each other's territory over the past few days. At the heart of the dispute is what India claims is Pakistan's support for armed separatist groups operating in Kashmir, a region disputed between the two countries. An armed group called The Resistance Front (TRF) claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack in Indian-administered Kashmir last month in which 26 people were killed. India alleges that TRF is an offshoot of another Pakistan-based armed group, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and has blamed Pakistan for supporting such groups. Pakistan has denied this. It condemned the attack in April and called for an independent is more about who the armed groups are and the major attacks they've claimed or been blamed for. The TRF emerged in 2019 following the Indian government's suspension of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, stripping Indian-administered Kashmir of its semi-autonomous status. However, the group was not widely known before the Pahalgam attack, which it took responsibility for in April via the Telegram messaging app, on which it said it was opposed to the granting of residency permits to 'outsiders'. Since the repeal of Article 370, non-Kashmiris have been granted residency permits to settle in Indian-administered Kashmir. This has stoked fears that the Indian government is trying to change the demographics of Kashmir, whose population is nearly all Muslim. Unlike other armed rebel groups in Kashmir, the TRF does not have an Islamic name. However, the Indian government maintains that it is an offshoot of, or a front for, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based armed group whose name means 'Army of the Pure'. In 2020, TRF started claiming responsibility for minor attacks, including some targeted killings. TRF recruits included rebels from different splinter rebel groups. Indian security agents say they have arrested multiple TRF members since then. According to Indian government records, most armed fighters killed in gunfights in Kashmir were affiliated with the TRF in 2022. The LeT, which calls for the 'liberation' of Indian-administered Kashmir, was founded around 1990 by Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, who is also known as Hafiz Saeed. In 2008, armed gunmen opened fire on civilians at several sites in Mumbai, India, killing 166 people. Ajmal Kasab, the only attacker captured alive, said the attackers were members of LeT. Saeed denied any involvement in that attack, however. Kasab was executed by India in 2012. India also blamed Pakistani intelligence agencies for the attack. While Pakistan conceded that the attack may have been partly planned on Pakistani soil, it maintained that its government and intelligence agencies were not involved. According to the United Nations, LeT was also involved in a 2001 attack on India's parliament and a 2006 attack on Mumbai commuter trains that killed 189 people. On May 7, India launched missile attacks on several cities in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. One of these cities was Muridke in the Punjab province. India claims that Muridke was the location of the headquarters of the Jamat-ud-Dawa, a charity organisation that New Delhi insists is a front for the LeT. Last week, the Indian army claimed it had struck LeT's Markaz Taiba camp in Muridke. The army also claimed Kasab had been trained at this camp. Pakistan says LeT has been banned, however. Following an attack on Indian-administered Kashmir's Pulwama in 2019, Pakistan also reimposed a lapsed ban on Jamat-ud-Dawa. Saeed was arrested in 2019 and is in the custody of the Pakistani government, serving a 31-year prison sentence after being convicted in two 'terror financing' cases. Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), or 'The Army of Muhammad', was formed around 2000 by Masood Azhar, who had been released from Indian prison in 1999. Azhar, who had been arrested on 'terrorism' charges, was released in exchange for 155 hostages being held by hijackers of an Indian Airlines plane. Azhar previously fought under the banner of a group called Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, which calls for Kashmir to be united with Pakistan, and has been linked to al-Qaeda. According to the UN Security Council, JeM has also had links with al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden and the Taliban. Pakistan banned JeM in 2002 after the group, alongside LeT, was blamed for an attack on the Indian parliament in 2001. The British-born Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, who was convicted of killing US journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002, was also a member of JeM. Pearl was the Wall Street Journal's South Asia bureau chief. However, a 2011 report released by the Pearl Project at Georgetown University following its own investigation claimed that Pearl had not been murdered by Sheikh. The report instead alleged that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind behind the September 11, 2001 attacks, was responsible. In 2021, a panel of three judges at Pakistan's Supreme Court ordered Sheikh's release. Despite the ban, Indian authorities claim the group continues to operate in Bahawalpur, in Pakistan's Punjab province. On May 7, the Indian army claimed its strikes had also targeted the headquarters of JeM there. In 2019, JeM claimed a suicide bomb attack that killed 40 Indian paramilitary soldiers in Pulwama in Indian-administered Kashmir. Azhar has been arrested by Pakistani authorities twice, but was released and has never been charged. He has since disappeared from the public eye and his current whereabouts are not known. Hizbul-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), or 'Party of Holy Fighters' was formed in 1989 by Kashmiri separatist leader Muhammad Ahsan Dar. The group emerged out of the 1988 protests in Kashmir against the Indian government. The group, also called Hizb, has become the largest Indigenous rebel group based in Indian-administered Kashmir. Rather than calling for independence, HuM calls for the whole of Kashmir to be allowed to accede to Pakistan. The group has a huge network of fighters in Shopian, Kulgam and Pulwama districts in the south of Indian-administered Kashmir. In 2016, the killing of popular HuM commander Burhan Wani triggered widespread protests in Indian-administered Kashmir, resulting in a crackdown by Indian security forces. The following year, the US designated HuM as a 'foreign terrorist organisation' and placed sanctions on the group. HuM leader Riyaz Naikoo spoke to Al Jazeera in 2018. 'It is the nature of the occupying Indian state that has compelled us to resort to violent methods of resistance,' he said. When asked what the group's demands were, Naikoo said: 'Our demand is very simple – freedom. Freedom, for us, means the complete dismantling of India's illegal occupation of Kashmir and all the structures that support it, be they military or economic.' He added that the group considers Pakistan an 'ideological and moral friend' because 'Pakistan is the only country which has consistently supported our cause and raised the concerns of Kashmiri freedom struggle at international forums'.
Mint
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Operation Sindoor: Why did India target ‘terror nursey' Muridke Markaz in Pakistan?
Operation Sindoor: India struck nine "terrorist camps" in Pakistan on Wednesday that it accused of serving as indoctrination centres, training areas, and launchpads, two weeks after an attack in Indian Kashmir that the south Asian nation linked to its neighbour. Among them were Markaz Taiba Camp and Markaz Subhan Camp. Indian armed forces successfully struck nine terror targets—four in Pakistan, including Bahawalpur, Muridke, and Sialkot, and five in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Let's Take a Look at Why These Camps Were Targetted? According to official statement by India government, the Markaz Taiba camp, 25 km from the de-facto border, was the headquarters of militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which has been linked to Pahalgam terror attack attack. Terrorist Ajmal Kasab, the sole perpetrator of the 2008 attack on Mumbai to be captured alive, was also allegedly trained at the facility. More than 160 people were killed in the attack Mumbai. The target deepest in Pakistan, about 100 km from the border, the Markaz Subhan camp was the headquarters of Islamist group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and was used for recruiting, training, and indoctrination, according to India government. The Muridke Markaz holds significant strategic and symbolic importance as the headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), one of Pakistan's most notorious terrorist organisations The Muridke Markaz holds significant strategic and symbolic importance as the headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), one of Pakistan's most notorious terrorist organisations. Located near Lahore in Pakistan's Punjab province, the Markaz is often described as a "terror nursery" due to its extensive facilities dedicated to training, indoctrination, and recruitment of militants. Spread over approximately 200 acres, Murdike Markaz functions as a self-sustaining township with mosques, educational institutions, residential quarters, and training grounds. Established in the late 1980s by Hafiz Muhammad Saeed with support from Pakistan's intelligence agency (ISI) and external funding, it has been the ideological, logistical, and operational hub for LeT's jihadist activities. The Muridke Markaz is infamous for its role in preparing terrorists involved in major attacks against India, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks where operatives like Ajmal Kasab received training there. It serves not only as a training camp but also as a centre for radicalisation, with around 1,000 students enrolled annually in various courses aimed at promoting extremist ideology and militant skills. The complex's proximity to Lahore and its location on a major highway enable rapid deployment of trained militants. India's strike on Muridke during Operation Sindoor was a targeted effort to dismantle this critical terror infrastructure and send a strong message against cross-border terrorism.
India Today
07-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Why Muridke was hit; its link with Hafiz Saeed and Lashkar
The Indian armed forces struck nine terror bases in Pakistan and its occupied territory of Kashmir in overnight operations. Pakistan's DG ISPR acknowledged strikes on five sites in Kotli, Muridke and Bahawalpur. The main targets of the strikes, called Operation Sindoor, were the jihadist structures of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Toiba, the two terrorist organisations responsible for major attacks on Indian soil over the past three decades. WHY MURIDKE? Located about 33 km from Lahore on the historic Grand Trunk Road, Muridke hosts the headquarters of the Lashkar-e-Toiba. Called the Markaz-e-Toiba, the LeT headquarter operates under the facade of a charitable organisation, Jammat-ud_Dawa. The Markaz complex, like the headquarters of the Jaish-e-Mohammad in Bahawalpur, is the nerve centre of the LeT, operating as its ideological, logistical, and operational base. Hundreds of volunteers recruited from Pakistan and Kashmir are brought here for training and planning terrorist operations. It is said to be spread over 200 acres of land, making it one of the largest terror facilities in not just Pakistan but across the world. It was established in the late 1980s by Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, the founder of LeT, with support from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and funding from external sources. An Integrated Township: Satellite images reveal the Markaz is a township with modern facilities. Its centre piece is a mosque, surrounded by teaching centres. Large open areas are used for training recruits in combat in simulated environments. For the recruits, apart from schools, seminaries and living quarters, there are facilities like hospitals, offices, banks and other commercial units. Strategic Importance: Since it sits on a major highway, and is just a few kms from Lahore, the Markaz can deploy its assets at a rapid pace at a short notice. The Markaz was originally set up to support the Afghan jihad against the Soviets in the 1980s. But, after the Soviets retreated, it was turned into a base for anti-India operations. When the LeT was banned by Pakistan after the 9/11 attacks, the Markaz was redesignated as a seminary–the Jamaat-ud-Dawa. But, behind the scenes it continued to serve the goals and ambitions of the Lashkar. In 2008, Lashkar trained several terrorists at the Markaz for the Mumbai attacks, which led to 166 deaths. This was disclosed by Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving attacker of the attacks, to the Indian investigating agencies. Since its early days, the LeT has expanded its presence. It has used the Markaz to collaborate with other jihadist groups in Afghanistan and even Chechnya. It is funded through a chain of global networks. The money flows into Pakistan under the pretext of supporting charity and education. In 2008, the Jamaat was declared a terror organisation. It was also placed on the FATF grey list for financing terror operations. Though Pakistan banned the JuD and arrested Saeed, India has called these actions mere optics to deflect international attention. The JuD, a proselytising force, spreads its radical agenda through a network that includes more than 2500 offices and a dozen seminaries. The LeT—'army of the pure'--- is a Salafist-jihadist organisation. (Its rival, the Jaish-e-Mohammad is inspired by the Deobandi ideology). Unlike some other organisations that focused on Kashmir's independence, its aim is the annexation of J&K to Pakistan. The LeT was co-founded by Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Zafar Iqbal, and Abdullah Azzam to resist the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Its parent, Markaz-ud-Dawa-wal-Irshad (MDI), was a Sunni missionary organization established in 1987 to promote Salafism, the most orthodox form of Islam. The LeT's birthplace was Afghanistan's Kunar province, where it originated around 1990 with funding from al-Qaeda. LeT and Kashmir: The terror group brought fidayeen attacks to Jammu and Kashmir with its policy of fighting till death. (The Jaish, on the other hand, relied on suicide bombings). In 1993, the LeT terrorists started crossing into India with the support of the ISI and separatist groups in the Valley. Among its early attacks was the 1996 killing of 16 Hindus. MAJOT ATTACKS December 2001: Attack on the Indian Parliament with the help of Jaish-e-Mohammad. Attack: The terrorists entered the premises with the intention of killing India's top leadership. But the attack was foiled by security personnel. The attack led to a military standoff between India and Pakistan that brought the two countries to the brink of a war. 2006 Mumbai Train Bombings: The LeT detonated several bombs on Mumbai's commuter trains, killing over 180 and injuring around 800. 2008 Mumbai Attacks: Ten LeT gunmen attacked multiple locations in Mumbai over three days, killing 166 people. The group has been linked to the 2000 Chittisinghpura massacre of 35 Sikhs in Kashmir on the eve of US President Bill Clinton's visit to India. ORGANISATION STRUCTURE The group calls itself a military organisation with Hafiz Saeed its top leader–the emir. Saeed is helped by terrorists who are designated as commanders and regional commanders. Apart from its training camps in Muridke, it operates from several bases in Pak-occupied Kashmir. Hafiz Muhammad Saeed: Born in 1950 in Sargodha, Pakistan, Saeed was declared a global terrorist by several countries and organisations. In 1947, his family had reportedly migrated from northern Punjab, probably some village near Shimla. A scholar of the Salafist ideology, he went to a university in Saudi Arabia, where he was exposed to the Wahabi strain of Islam. Back in Pakistan in the 70s, he taught Islamic ideology at an engineering institute in Lahore. In 1994, Saeed visited the US, where he addressed gatherings in Houston, Chicago, and Boston. Starting with 2001-2002 (after the attack on the Indian Parliament), Saeed has been in and out of Pakistani jails. In 2012, the US placed a $10 million bounty on Saeed. In 2020, he was sentenced to 11 years in jail for financing terror activities. Though he was supposed to be jailed, reports suggest Saeed has been living in Lahore in a house protected by the ISI. The house has a mosque, a school and even a private park. India's request for his extradition was denied by Pakistan in 2023. Like the JEM, the Lashkar is also a family-run enterprise. Saeed's son Talha is the group's second-in-command.
