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An intelligence dossier seen by CNN-News18 reveals the intricate timeline and state complicity behind the rebuild
India launched a strike at Markaz Taiba, the LeT camp in Muridke, on May 7. (File pic/PTI)
In a clear act of defiance, the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a UN-designated terror group, has begun the systematic demolition and reconstruction of its headquarters, Markaz Taiba in Muridke, following a devastating Indian Air Force (IAF) strike on May 7. An intelligence dossier seen by CNN-News18 reveals the intricate timeline and state complicity behind the rebuild, signalling a determined effort to restore the terror group’s operational hub and morale ahead of a key propaganda deadline.
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The May 7 strike, conducted under Operation Sindoor in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, inflicted total structural damage on three key LeT buildings—the red accommodation/storage block and the yellow Umm-ul-Qura training and residential facilities—rendering the Muridke complex operationally defunct. However, the LeT did not abandon the site. Instead, a well-orchestrated demolition began on August 18, using heavy machinery. By September 7, all core structures were completely razed, clearing the way for reconstruction. The rebuild is being fast-tracked to be completed before February 5, 2026, aligning with Kashmir Solidarity Day and its annual jihad convention, providing both symbolic and propaganda value to the project.
The reconstruction is under the direct and strict supervision of senior LeT commanders, including Maulana Abu Zar, the group’s chief trainer, and Yunus Shah Bukhari, indicating the project’s high importance. Despite the loss of its central command, LeT ensured its training pipelines remained uninterrupted by temporarily relocating its cadres and programs to alternate facilities, including Markaz Aqsa in Bahawalpur and later Markaz Yarmouk in Kasur.
Crucially, the dossier exposes the overt financial and logistical support from the Pakistani state. Islamabad not only publicly announced its commitment to financing the reconstruction of LeT and JeM facilities but also disbursed an initial PKR 4 crore to the LeT. With the full rebuild projected to cost over PKR 15 crore, the terror group is bridging the funding shortfall through a familiar mechanism: using humanitarian fronts. LeT has launched “flood relief” campaigns, a strategy it perfected in the 2005 Pakistan/PoK earthquake, where 80% of humanitarian aid was diverted to build terror infrastructure. Visual evidence confirms collusion between LeT cadres and the Pakistani state apparatus, with cadres staging relief activities alongside Pakistani Rangers and officials to legitimise their fundraising efforts.
The rapid rebuild of Markaz Taiba, assured funding, and state patronage underscore LeT’s resilience and Pakistan’s sustained strategy of using jihadi organisations as instruments of proxy warfare against India. As LeT and its allied groups (JeM, HM) fragment into multiple new fronts like The Resistance Front (TRF) and People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF) to evade international sanctions, the Muridke complex is set to re-emerge as a major operational hub by early 2026. This development poses a significant risk of a renewed and heightened terror threat tempo against India in the coming months, highlighting Pakistan’s persistent double standards on counter-terrorism.
About the Author
Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
September 13, 2025, 23:59 IST
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