E-Paper
Centre designates new crop of Pak Jihadis against India
Out of the 23 designated terrorists, 13 belong to Lahore-based LeT and remaining 10 to the Bahawalpur-based JeM terror syndicates.
The Modi government on Saturday designated 23 terrorists of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) proscribed groups under the provisions of UAPA Act as part of its “Prahar” strategy to address emerging and evolving terrorist threats.
Out of the 23 designated terrorists, 13 belong to Lahore-based LeT and remaining 10 to the Bahawalpur-based JeM terror syndicates. The list has 16 who are of Pak nationality and seven Indians operating out of Pakistan. Many of them have active arrest warrants and on-going terror investigations pending against them. Those named are found to be operating across a spectrum of functions, such as propaganda through front organizations, terror recruitment, training, arms, smuggling and infiltration of cadres into Indian territory.
Among the designated terrorists, Saifullah Khalid is closely associated with terror activities of LeT/Jammat-ud-Dawa. A US-designated global terrorist, Khalid acts as the Deputy Chief of LeT.
Hafiz Abdur Rauf, another designated terrorist of LeT, has led funerals of terrorists killed in “Operation Sindoor”, launched by India against Pakistan terror targets on May 7, 2025. Designated as a global terrorist by the US, Rauf was seen offering prayers at LeT’s Muridke camp along with several top Pakistan Army Officers.
Those listed from JeM as designated terrorists are characterized by a more military (formal) structure which is focused on infiltration and high-profile attacks against India. Its leadership includes Mufti Muhammed Asghar Khan, the so-called chief commander of Kashmir operations, and Masood Ilyas Kashmiri, the so-called emir of JeM in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). Jaish relies on launching commanders such as Abdullah Jehadi, Mohammed Mussadiq and Waseem Noor to facilitate cross border infiltration of terrorists, arms, ammunition via tunnels and drones.
Masood Ilyas Kashmiri is in charge of recruitment and handles the social media wing of JeM. Operating from PoK, Kashmiri is one of the principal accused in the April 2022 Sunjwan terror strike.
Recruitment is a critical function for these proscribed organizations with terror operatives using social media platforms to target youth in Jammu and Kashmir as well as hinterland India. Acting as an online handler, Mohammed Shahed Faisal recruits youth of bombing making and target selection. He is a software engineer from Bengaluru and has been involved in several terror strikes in India in the past. Faisal was the principal handler of the 2012 Bangalore conspiracy case.
While Indian diplomatic efforts ensured that the US Department of State designated LeT front TRF as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) and Global terrorist group on July 18, 2025, the main purpose of the list is to deter radicalization, recruitment and cross border infiltration for terrorist activities in India. The list is also to convey that the Modi government has a zero tolerance policy against terrorist, which includes dismantling of the terror system, decisive counter terror operations with sustained global diplomacy acting as a force multiplier.
