ISI's desperate pivot: Recruitment hubs shift to Punjab, Haryana, UP to revive Lashkar's J&K ops
Indian security agencies have uncovered a desperate pivot by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to establish terror modules beyond Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), targeting northern states like Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. The move comes as infiltration attempts along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) have ground to a near halt, forcing terror outfits to adapt their revival strategies amid heightened vigilance.
A senior Intelligence Bureau (IB) official revealed that ISI has instructed its surviving operatives -- those still evading capture in J&K -- to expand operations interstate.
"The directive is clear: set up modules in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh for recruitment and training, with the explicit goal of deploying these cadres back into J&K for attacks," the official stated.
This shift stems from intensified scrutiny in the Union Territory following the deadly Pahalgam attack, which has made local operations untenable.
Security grids in J&K have tightened dramatically post-Pahalgam, rendering it nearly impossible for operatives to function without detection. Even attempts to activate overground workers (OGWs) -- local sympathizers who provide covert support -- have flopped under rigorous checks.
"Infiltrations are at a standstill, and the dearth of trained handlers has left groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) scrambling," a second official noted. Battle-hardened terrorists, numbering nearly a thousand, remain poised in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), but Indian forces' unprecedented alert levels -- bolstered since Operation Sindoor -- have thwarted multiple crossing bids.
The arrest of LeT operative Abdullah alias Abu Hureira, who dodged agencies for 16 years, blew the lid off this inter-state network. Interrogations exposed his mandate to orchestrate modules across state lines, part of ISI's broader push to build a resilient terror ecosystem outside J&K's hotspots. Investigating officials describe it as a "revival playbook" for outfits like LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), both reeling from recruitment slumps.
J&K's symbolic pull remains a key draw for propaganda, yet post-Operation Sindoor, even Pakistani enlistment has nosedived.
Terror groups now bet on laxer oversight in mainland states to quietly recruit, train, and infiltrate fresh operatives into J&K via easier internal routes from Punjab, Haryana, or UP. These modules won't stop at manpower; they'll handle logistics, arms smuggling, and ammunition transit, officials warn.
"A big strike in J&K could recharge their narrative, drawing in disillusioned youth," one source cautioned, highlighting LeT's calculus.
In response, agencies are mounting a multi-state dragnet to dismantle these cells at inception. The coordinated crackdown underscores India's proactive stance against Pakistan-backed proxy warfare, even as PoK's waiting terrorists pose a persistent threat.