When India’s Operation Sindoor reduced the Lashkar-e-Taiba complex at Muridke and Jaish-e-Mohammed’s base in Bahawalpur to rubble in May 2025, the impact went far beyond physical destruction. Senior operatives, trainers, and bomb-makers were killed, morale collapsed, and the long-held belief that Pakistan’s terror factories were untouchable was shattered. For weeks, cadres scattered into madrasas and safe houses, struggling to survive amid shock and fear.
That phase has now passed. Intelligence inputs indicate that the surviving leadership of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed has regrouped, shedding old rivalries in favour of cooperation. Joint meetings, shared platforms, and coordinated messaging suggest that two once-competing outfits are now moving toward a unified operational posture. The motivation is less ideological harmony and more survival after unprecedented losses.
The shift is most visible in Bahawalpur, where senior Lashkar leaders were recently detected holding meetings close to the ruins of Jaish’s headquarters. Talha Saeed, Saifullah Kasuri, and Hafiz Abdul Rauf were seen together on Jaish turf, a symbolic break from years of territorial jealousy. The message is clear: old turf wars no longer matter when both organisations are bleeding.
This consolidation appears to be actively facilitated by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence. Intelligence assessments suggest the ISI is encouraging coordination, pooling of resources, and shared infiltration planning. The scale of losses after Sindoor — Lashkar’s strength halved and Jaish reduced to nearly half its earlier numbers — has made consolidation a strategic necessity rather than a choice.
Public statements by Hafiz Abdul Rauf underline the depth of the blow. He has openly admitted that Muridke was completely destroyed and acknowledged that the complex is no longer usable. Such admissions are rare and point to the scale of damage inflicted. More strikingly, Rauf has also spoken openly about state patronage for jihad in Pakistan, effectively confirming long-standing international allegations.
Despite the destruction, recruitment pipelines remain active. Lashkar recently held a passing-out ceremony for new militants, attended by top leaders, demonstrating that training and indoctrination continue under state protection. This suggests that while infrastructure was hit, the ecosystem supporting terrorism remains intact.
The threat is also expanding beyond traditional Pakistani networks. Intelligence agencies report growing interaction with Hamas-linked operatives, with training methods and tactics reportedly being shared. The October 7 attack model is being studied and adapted, raising concerns about more brutal, high-impact assaults in the Indian context.
Jaish-e-Mohammed has taken a further radical step by launching a women’s wing aimed at propaganda and suicide operations, recruiting widows and family members of killed militants. This move reflects both desperation and a willingness to escalate violence by breaking previous operational norms.
Indian agencies remain on high alert. RAW and IB have issued warnings about increased infiltration attempts, urban modules, and the possible use of drones and coordinated fidayeen attacks. While many infiltrators have been neutralised, the persistence of attempts indicates that the threat has not receded.
Operation Sindoor dealt a crippling blow to Pakistan-based terror infrastructure, but it has also triggered a dangerous phase of regrouping. When wounded organisations merge under external patronage, the resulting entity can become more volatile. The ruins of Muridke and Bahawalpur mark not an end, but the start of a more complex and unpredictable security challenge.
