Terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), led by Maulana Masood Azhar, is now asking people to donate money to help rebuild its headquarters in Bahawalpur, Pakistan. This comes nearly three months after the Indian Air Force destroyed the building during Operation Sindoor – a major airstrike launched in response to the killing of Indian tourists in Kashmir.
The JeM headquarters, known as Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah, was not just a home for Maulana Masood. It was the main hub for planning terror attacks and training recruits. Established in 2015 and located in Bahawalpur, around 100 km inside Pakistan’s Punjab province, this compound also housed Azhar, his brother Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar (who is considered the group’s de facto chief), and other close family members.
Terror outfit now asking for “discreet donations” to rebuild the camp
In a recent post shared in Urdu on social media, JeM appealed for donations to “revive” the destroyed headquarters. The terror group said that the building played an important role in their movement and called upon followers to work together for the success of the campaign, which was launched last Wednesday (30th July).
The post did not make a direct appeal like a usual fundraiser, but asked people to donate “quietly”. They don’t want to attract too much attention, knowing well that such funding activities could be tracked.
Given that the Pakistani establishment directly supports various terror groups including Jaish-e-Mohammad, the fundraising appeal has raised questioned whether the Pakistan government has run out of money to rebuild the JeM headquarters.
Target of Operation Sindoor
Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah was one of the main targets during Operation Sindoor, which was India’s response to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 tourists on 22nd April. Indian agencies had identified Bahawalpur as a key location where JeM’s top leaders were hiding and where weapons and recruits were being prepared for attacks in India.
The precision airstrikes carried out by India caused huge damage to the building. Satellite images released by Maxar and analysed by NDTV showed the destruction of several structures at the site.
Masood Azhar claims family members were killed
Masood Azhar, the 56-year-old UN-designated global terrorist and chief of JeM, later issued a statement claiming that ten members of his family and four close ones died in the strike. He named his elder sister, her husband, a nephew and his wife, a niece, and five children from the extended family as those who were “martyred”.
In his message, Azhar wrote, “Ten members of my family were blessed with this happiness together tonight… five are innocent children, my elder sister, and her honourable husband. My scholar Fazil Bhanje (nephew) and his wife, and my beloved scholar Fazilah (niece)… my dear brother Huzaifah and his mother. Two more dear companions,” he said, adding that those killed have become the guests of Allah.
Azhar’s long terror record of terrorist attacks
Masood Azhar was arrested in 1994 in India but let off in 1999 during the Indian Airlines flight IC 814 hijack. He established JeM and has been held responsible for multiple fatal attacks in India, such as the 2001 Parliament attack, the 2016 Pathankot attack, and the 2019 Pulwama suicide attack, where 40 CRPF jawans were martyred.
In 2019, India legally designated Azhar as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. He is listed as a global terrorist by the UN Security Council, too. But to date, even with all the evidence, Pakistan denies that Azhar is on its territory. It’s something no one believes.
From terror to charity drive, JeM now begging for money online
It’s almost ironic that a terror outfit like JeM, which once enjoyed full support and protection from the Pakistani establishment, is now begging for funds on X (formerly Twitter) like an online fundraiser. The same group that used to train fidayeen squads and carry out suicide bombings is now asking for money to rebuild a “headquarters” that was a front for terrorism.
This also shows how deep Pakistan’s financial crisis has become. For years, Pakistan pumped money, weapons, and intelligence support into groups like JeM and Lashkar-e-Taiba to keep its proxy war against India alive.
But now, it seems like the Pakistani government had no money left to fund its beloved terrorists. The country’s economy is in shambles. With an inflation rate of 12.04% in 2024, which is much higher than the average. The country is surviving on massive foreign debt and IMF bailouts, keeping the economy alive.
And now, the same terrorists it nurtured are doing the same, instead of giving up arms and doing something productive with their lives.
Background of Operation Sindoor
On the night of 6th May, India launched a powerful retaliation after the Pahalgam terror attack killed 26 innocent tourists in Kashmir. Under Operation Sindoor, the Indian military fired 24 precision missiles at nine carefully chosen terrorist bases across Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.
The strikes targeted terror launchpads, training centres, and safe houses. According to Indian government sources, more than 70 terrorists were killed in the attacks, and at least 60 others were injured.
The JeM camp in Bahawalpur was one of the worst-hit locations. This operation sent a clear message that India would not tolerate any attack on its civilians and would strike back with precision and power.
