Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 12: Pakistan’s terror groups have undergone a major operational shift following Operation Sindoor, with the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) taking direct control of the activities of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Hizbul Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), according to intelligence officials.
While LeT has gradually stepped up its activities, Hizbul Mujahideen and JeM have largely remained subdued in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor. A significant change is that the top leadership of the three groups is no longer directly calling the shots.
The ISI has reportedly placed a Brigadier and a Colonel in charge of overseeing the operations of all three outfits. Operations are now initiated only after the two officers give the go-ahead.
An Intelligence Bureau official said the restructuring has also changed the manner in which terrorists belonging to the three groups operate.
“There is complete operational synergy following this restructuring of the top command,” the official said.
Intelligence agencies have repeatedly reported that more than 500 terrorists are waiting across the border to infiltrate India through the Line of Control (LoC).
Earlier, LeT, Hizbul Mujahideen and JeM had separate command centres and operational heads overseeing infiltration. Under the new arrangement, these responsibilities are reportedly being handled by Brigadier Iqbal and Colonel Owaiz.
The infiltration strategy has also been altered. Earlier, groups of five to six terrorists would attempt to cross the LoC together. The ISI has now reportedly limited such attempts to three terrorists at a time, with one operative each from JeM, LeT and Hizbul Mujahideen.
An official said the arrangement was aimed at ensuring greater operational coordination.
“Moreover, the instructions on infiltration are coming from the ISI officials and not from the leaders or handlers of these three terror groups,” the official said.
Dr Abhinav Pandya, founder of the Usanas Foundation, said several terror groups are deliberately keeping a low profile while recalibrating their strategies.
Hizbul Mujahideen, for instance, has struggled to carry out its activities following the abrogation of Article 370. This, Pandya said, explains why the ISI is seeking greater operational coordination and has taken control of the activities of the terror outfits.
The ISI also wants to conceal the identities of the chiefs of these groups, he said.
“Pakistan also will be very careful not to be caught anytime there is an act of terror. They will do everything to cover their trails and hence are trying to execute attacks in the hinterland through their proxies,” Pandya said.
The development comes against the backdrop of a change in India’s security doctrine, under which any act of terror would not be viewed merely as a cross-border strike but as an act of war against the country.
Officials said that besides changing its strategy along the LoC, the ISI is also attempting to recruit local youth in Jammu and Kashmir.
The agency is reportedly relying less on its religious scholars in Jammu and Kashmir to reach out to young people. Instead, it is using scholars based in Afghanistan and Africa to reach out to youth and promote radicalisation.
Once recruited, the youth would allegedly be trained to carry out lone-wolf attacks. They would also receive training to prepare improvised explosive devices (IEDs) using locally available materials before being directed to carry out attacks.
Another official said the strategy would allow Pakistan to maintain deniability and make it difficult for India to directly attribute an attack to Islamabad.
The broader objective, officials said, is to maintain “radio silence” while simultaneously building a favourable international image.
Any attack that can be traced back to Pakistan could invite a response from the Indian armed forces and damage Pakistan’s international standing, which officials allege Islamabad has been attempting to bolster through paid pressure groups and think tanks.