Call Us Now

+91 9606900005 / 04

For Enquiry

legacyiasacademy@gmail.com

Pakistan’s complex web of terror networks

Historical Roots of Terror Infrastructure

  • Soviet-Afghan War (1979): A watershed moment where Pakistan’s ISI, with CIA funding, cultivated jihadi groups to fight the Soviets.
  • This initial alliance institutionalized the use of non-state actors as instruments of foreign policy, particularly for influence in Afghanistan and Kashmir.

Relevance : GS 3(Internal Security)

Strategic Use of Terror as State Policy

  • ISI’s S-Wing” functions as the strategic arm that oversees terror groups, with:
    • Planning, trainingfunding, and intelligence coordination.
    • Systematic classification of ‘good’ terrorists (anti-India/Afghan operations) vs. ‘bad’ terrorists (targeting Pakistan).
  • State patronage includes:
    • Military support.
    • Legal protection (e.g., Lakhvi and Hafiz Saeed).
    • Infrastructure for operations and radicalisation.

Key Proxy Terrorist Groups

a. Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)

  • Leadership: Hafiz Saeed, Lakhvi, Zafar Iqbal.
  • Infrastructure: 200-acre headquarters at Markaz-e-Taiba near Lahore; over 16 training camps.
  • Global Network: Presence in 21 countries; support from diaspora and Gulf-based donors.
  • Ideology: Ahl-e-Hadith (Salafi strain) focused on anti-India jihad.
  • Attacks:
    • 2008 Mumbai attacks (166 dead).
    • 2006 Mumbai train bombings (209 dead).
    • 2025 Pahalgam attack (26 civilians killed).
  • Funding Sources: ISI ($25–50 million), charities, commodity trading, real estate.

b. Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM)

  • Leadership: Masood Azhar, Abdul Rauf Asghar.
  • Infrastructure: HQ in Bahawalpur; training camps in KPK, PoK, and Afghanistan.
  • Ideology: Deobandi radicalism, martyrdom-centric jihad.
  • Attack Strategy: Suicide bombings (fidayeen); VBIEDs.
  • Attacks:
    • 2001 Indian Parliament attack.
    • 2019 Pulwama bombing (40 CRPF personnel martyred).
  • Funding: Al-Rehmat Trust ($10–15 million), ISI intermediaries, real estate (~$30 million).

c. Supporting Entities

  • Haqqani Network: Acts as ISI’s Afghan arm; now part of Taliban governance (Sirajuddin Haqqani).
  • ISIS-K: Initially antagonistic to ISI, but selective tolerance observed.
  • HUM: Recruiter and feeder network; deeply linked with seminary system.

Radicalisation & Madrassa Network

  • Over 30,000 madrassas in Pakistan; 10–15% tied to extremist recruitment.
  • Terror curriculum promoting jihad against India.
  • Channels of indoctrination:
    • Media (print, digital).
    • Social media propaganda.
    • Community outreach via religious preachers.

Terror Financing Architecture

  • Charity Fronts: 40+ groups raising $150–200 million annually.
  • Hawala and laundering: Dubai, Karachi, Peshawar as key nodes.
  • State allocations: Covert budgets (~$100–125 million/year).
  • Narcotics trade: Generates $75 million/year (Af-Pak-India corridor).
  • Cryptocurrency: At least $15 million moved in 2023.

FATF Greylisting & Global Scrutiny

  • Repeated greylisting: 2008–2010, 2012–2015, 2018–2022 — proof of systemic non-compliance.
  • Cosmetic compliance: Renaming orgs, temporary arrests.
  • Self-admissions: Musharraf, Nawaz Sharif, and recent ministers have acknowledged support for terror activities.

Evolution & Adaptability of the Network

  • Tactical Shifts:
    • From overt insurgency (1990s) to covert operations post-9/11.
    • Integration of cyber jihad, media warfare, and cross-border coordination.
  • Post-2021 Taliban resurgence: Rebuilt camps in Afghanistan, intensified infiltration along the LoC (2023–2024).
  • Synchronized proxy activity across LeT, JeM, and Taliban groups.

Strategic and Security Implications

For India:

  • Persistent threat from state-supported terror.
  • Challenge of cross-border infiltration, urban terrorism, and cyber recruitment.
  • Security burden and civilian toll (e.g., 2025 Pahalgam attack).

For Global Order:

  • Erosion of the rules-based international system.
  • Direct threat to regional stability, peace processes, and counter-terrorism frameworks.

What Needs to be Done

India’s Approach:

  • Continued use of surgical strikes, diplomatic isolation, and OSINT-exposed operations.
  • Strengthening border surveillance and counter-radicalisation programmes.

Global Response:

  • FATF and UNSC must enforce real accountability.
  • Aid to Pakistan should be conditional on verifiable action against terror.
  • Greater intelligence cooperation to disrupt transnational funding and recruitment.

May 2025
MTWTFSS
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
Categories