In the wake of the devastating Pahalgam terror attack on April 22—which claimed the lives of 26 people—tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated sharply. In response, Indian intelligence agencies have compiled an explosive dossier that lifts the veil on Pakistan-based terror outfits Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). This dossier, accessed by India Today, meticulously maps out the leadership structures, funding mechanisms, and covert operations of these extremist groups.
Lashkar-e-Taiba: Leadership and Deceptive Fronts
According to the dossier, Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, continues to serve as the Emir (Supreme Leader) of Lashkar-e-Taiba. However, a significant transition of power is underway, as Saeed is gradually passing on responsibilities to his son, Talha Saeed, who now plays a pivotal role in the group’s strategic and operational affairs.
Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, a senior LeT commander, oversees military operations including managing terror training camps, planning attacks, coordinating field commanders, and ensuring logistical support. Meanwhile, LeT’s public outreach and recruitment are conducted through its front organisation, Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), which operates schools, hospitals, and relief centres across Pakistan. These humanitarian façades serve as recruitment grounds for indoctrinating and radicalising individuals.
To bypass international sanctions placed on JuD by the United Nations and the United States, LeT has established alternate entities like the Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), Al Madina, and Aiser Foundation. Furthermore, the political front Milli Muslim League (MML) has been created to expand the outfit’s influence in Pakistani politics.
The dossier also outlines LeT’s financial trail, which is largely sustained through the hawala network linked to Jamaat-e-Islami. These covert channels are used to funnel funds not only within Pakistan but also into India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, to finance terror activities and sleeper cells.
Jaish-e-Mohammed: A Legacy of Violence
Jaish-e-Mohammed’s command structure is led by its Supreme Commander, Maulana Masood Azhar, who gained international notoriety after being released in 1999 during the IC-814 hijacking. Azhar has been implicated in multiple high-profile attacks in India, including the 2001 Parliament attack, the 2016 Pathankot attack, and the deadly Pulwama bombing in 2019.
The dossier identifies Maulana Mufti Mohammad Asghar, also known as Saad Baba, as the main launch commander for JeM. Previously affiliated with Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), Saad Baba is instrumental in coordinating infiltration and attack missions across the border.
Funding for JeM is reportedly collected under the guise of charitable work by the Al Rehmat Trust. These funds are then diverted to finance terrorist training camps, arms procurement, propaganda dissemination, and cross-border infiltration efforts.
Strategic Bases and Operational Planning
Both JeM and LeT maintain strategic bases in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), which serve as hubs for plotting anti-India operations. These safe havens are used for recruitment, training, and launching terrorist incursions into Indian territory. The intelligence report offers a detailed overview of how deeply embedded and state-protected these operations are, raising significant concerns about Pakistan’s continued support for terrorism.
