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Intelligence inputs indicated that the movement is being carried out with the knowledge and support of Pakistan’s state structures.
The shift follows India’s Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, sources said.(Representative image)
Pakistan-based terror outfits Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) have begun relocating their operational bases from Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province, according to Indian defence and intelligence sources.
The shift follows India’s Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, news agency PTI reported, citing sources.
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During Operation Sindoor, India targeted nine major terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), targeting Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen facilities.
The operation triggered four days of intense cross-border clashes, which concluded on May 10 after a mutual understanding was reached.
PTI cited sources as saying that the relocation reflects a significant “tactical” shift, as these terror groups now view PoK as increasingly vulnerable to Indian strikes. In contrast, KPK offers strategic depth due to its proximity to the Afghan border.
Intelligence inputs signalled that the movement is being carried out with the knowledge and support of Pakistan’s state structures.
“The inputs indicate that this movement by the terror groups is being conducted with full awareness and direct facilitation of Pakistan’s state structures,” PTI quoted one of the sources as saying. The sources also cited holding of JeM gatherings in certain places in Pakistan recently under police protection and the “tacit involvement” of political-religious outfits like Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI).
One of the most significant developments took place in Garhi Habibullah town, Mansehra district, where JeM conducted a public recruitment drive on September 14, just hours before the India-Pakistan cricket match, the report mentioned. The event was organized jointly by JeM and JUI, and attended by Mulana Mufti Masood Ilyas Kashmiri alias Abu Mohammad, a senior JeM leader wanted in India.
Ilyas Kashmiri, closely linked to JeM founder Maulana Masood Azhar, appeared at the rally guarded by armed JeM cadres with M4 rifles and local police, which reflects the Pakistan state’s support for JeM, sources said.
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The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
September 20, 2025, 11:00 IST
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