Intelligence sources have revealed that the militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) has launched a new female-focused initiative aimed at radicalising women and broadening its operational reach. The programme, reportedly led by Masood Azhar’s sisters, Sadiya and Samaira Azhar, and other close female relatives of top commanders, marks a strategic shift toward family-rooted and digitally mediated mobilisation.
Online Programme and Women’s Brigade
The initiative includes an online programme called “Tufat al-Muminat” and a parallel organisation named Jamat ul-Muminat or the Women’s Brigade. Leadership roles have been assigned to female family members to ensure loyalty, credibility, and ideological control, as JeM faces growing external pressure.
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Security officials have likened the programme to ISIS’s al-Khansaa Brigade and noted similarities with female cadres previously used by LTTE and Hamas. Women are being framed as morally and spiritually obligated to participate, while taking on roles in logistics, intelligence, financial operations, and, in extreme cases, active combat.
Fundraising and Operational Concerns
The online course reportedly charges a nominal fee of 500 PKR, which intelligence agencies believe may double as a covert fundraising mechanism. Officials warn that such online, family-mediated recruitment channels could sustain JeM even as senior leaders face health issues or increased security scrutiny.
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Digital Adaptation and Cross-Border Reach
Daily online sessions, each approximately 40 minutes, are designed to lower barriers to participation and allow the group to reach sympathisers in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kashmir, and diaspora communities. Analysts note that the public promotion of such programmes indicates either gaps in enforcement or tacit tolerance in parts of Pakistan.
Call for Vigilance and Coordinated Action
Experts urge digital platforms, financial regulators, and regional partners to act against nascent networks before they consolidate. They also emphasise the need for transparent investigations into fundraising channels and accountability where educational or charitable fronts are exploited for extremist purposes.
