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The report says terror outfits such as JeM and Hizbul Mujahideen have relocated inside Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to minimise external scrutiny & ensure uninterrupted recruitment pipelines
Pakistan has used political-religious fronts such as Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) to camouflage militant mobilisation as mainstream religious gatherings. (News18)
A classified dossier accessed by top intelligence sources has laid bare what it describes as Pakistan’s calibrated strategy of deception in sustaining terrorism through proxy groups, while simultaneously presenting itself on the global stage as a counter-terror ally.
The report warns that terror outfits such as Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) have undergone a systematic restructuring to evade international pressure. Camps that were once concentrated in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have now been relocated deep inside Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), providing both geographical depth and proximity to Afghan sanctuaries. This repositioning, sources said, is designed to “minimise external scrutiny and ensure uninterrupted training and recruitment pipelines”.
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Despite formal bans, the groups have rebranded under new aliases like Al-Murabitun and 313, enabling them to bypass the United Nations’ terror watchlists and Financial Action Task Force (FATF) restrictions. The People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF) has, meanwhile, been showcased as an indigenous Kashmiri resistance organisation, even though intelligence agencies trace its leadership and funding directly back to Rawalpindi.
The dossier points to overt state facilitation at multiple levels. In Mansehra, Pakistani police were seen providing security cover to large JeM rallies where jihadi speeches glorifying Osama bin Laden were delivered without consequence. Funeral ceremonies of militants were accorded military honours, a gesture interpreted as tacit institutional approval. Such actions, officials argue, reveal a pattern of integration between police, political parties, and the military establishment, rather than isolated rogue behaviour.
Adding another layer of legitimacy, Pakistan has used political-religious fronts such as Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) to camouflage militant mobilisation as mainstream religious gatherings. Under this cover, new training complexes like Marakaz Shuhuda-e-Islam and HM-313 have been established under the pretext of community development and religious education. Intelligence reports warn these centres are being used for indoctrination and combat preparation.
The dossier also highlights Pakistan’s narrative warfare—portraying Indian counter-strikes as civilian attacks, framing militants as freedom fighters, and embedding jihadist rhetoric into public discourse. The blending of religious, political, and militant messaging, it notes, creates layered deniability that complicates attribution for foreign intelligence and paralyses international responses.
On the global stage, Pakistan continues to leverage forums such as the UN Security Council (UNSC) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to present itself as a cooperative counter-terror partner. But the report concludes that this dual-track approach—enabling militant proxies at home while posturing as an ally abroad—has allowed Pakistan to keep recruitment pipelines open, propaganda active, and militant structures intact, despite international scrutiny.
About the Author
Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
Islamabad, Pakistan
September 20, 2025, 17:01 IST
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