Opinion | Jihad – Pakistan’s Tool Of Statecraft Or Witchcraft?

Dr G Shreekumar Menon

Terror groups operating within Pakistan and supporters hibernating in Kashmir should live in constant fear of severe military retaliation

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“We export software, Pakistan exports terror" — the Prime Minister’s famous statement made on 24 September 2016 remains valid today in 2026. In September 2026, at the UN Human Rights Council, Indian diplomat Kshitij Tyagi had to slam Islamabad for “exporting terror" and indulging in historical revisionism, urging Pakistan to focus on its economic crisis and minority rights instead of making territorial claims on Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan has a total of 163 universities managed and funded by the government. The total number of terror organisations and their concomitant terror schools numbers around 152! The South Asian Terrorism Portal (SATP) identifies three major classifications of extremist organisations operating inside Pakistan:

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Proscribed terrorist/extremist groups, numbering 81

Active terrorist/insurgent organisations, numbering 45

Inactive terrorist/insurgent organisations, numbering 26

The total of all these classifications numbers 152, almost the same as the number of government universities. Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior has officially proscribed around 70 militant and extremist organisations under the Anti-Terrorism Act, while broader threat assessments, such as those by the US Department of State’s Country Reports on Terrorism, note that dozens of organisations (approximately 41 active groups out of 87 assessed) maintain varying operational footprints in the country.

These terror outfits are ensured of a steady supply of fresh recruits from the thousands of madrassas functioning in the country under the guise of imparting education. Officially, the country’s first economic survey found that at the time of the 2023 census, there were 36,331 madrassas in Pakistan.

According to reports from the Library of Congress Congressional Research Service, armed and non-state militant networks operating in or launching attacks from Pakistan generally fall into five categories:

Globally Oriented: Groups aiming at transnational agendas, such as Al-Qaeda.

Afghanistan-Oriented: Factions focused on operations across the Afghan border, including regional affiliates.

India- and Kashmir-Oriented: Organisations focused on the Kashmir region or targeting India, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Domestically Oriented: Insurgent and anti-state networks fighting Pakistani security forces, most prominently the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Sectarian: Radical groups engaged in violent anti-Shia or inter-sectarian conflict, such as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.

1.Pakistan has 163 government-managed universities and approximately 152 terror organisations and schools.

Pakistan has 163 government-managed universities and approximately 152 terror organisations and schools.

2.The South Asian Terrorism Portal (SATP) identifies 81 proscribed, 45 active, and 26 inactive terrorist organisations in Pakistan.

The South Asian Terrorism Portal (SATP) identifies 81 proscribed, 45 active, and 26 inactive terrorist organisations in Pakistan.

3.Pakistan's Ministry of Interior has officially proscribed around 70 militant and extremist organisations.

Pakistan's Ministry of Interior has officially proscribed around 70 militant and extremist organisations.

4.In 2023, there were 36,331 madrassas in Pakistan, according to the country's first economic survey.

In 2023, there were 36,331 madrassas in Pakistan, according to the country's first economic survey.

5.The yearly expenditure of the ISI towards terrorist organisations runs between 125–250 million USD.

The yearly expenditure of the ISI towards terrorist organisations runs between 125–250 million USD.

There are several kinds of militant groups operating in and from Pakistan that can be distinguished by their sectarian background (Ahl-e-Hadith, Deobandi, Jamaat-e-Islami, etc.) and their areas of operation (Afghanistan, India, Pakistan). Their objectives may vary from overthrowing the Pakistani government to the seizure of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir or support of the Afghan Taliban. It typically takes eighteen months for ‘Mujahideen’ to become fully functional.

“There are six stages to jihad training before a Mujahid is deployed. The first stage, Tasis, is the indoctrination period, during which no military skills are taught. This is a period in which religious and sectarian fervour is instilled in the trainee, and the phase generally lasts one month. For example, Lashkar-e-Taiba will use this stage to convert recruits to Ahl-e-Hadith teachings. Next is Al Ra’ad, a three-month period that continues the indoctrination period but also includes the trainees’ introduction to military training. At the beginning of this stage, some groups like to take stock of their recruits and administer mental and physical tests to make sure the recruit is fit for a life of jihad. After these four months of spiritual conditioning and an introduction to light military activities, a six-month period of guerrilla training begins. Upon completion of this phase, Mujahideen can technically be put in the field, but only after writing their will and giving it over to the Ameer (a title of respect or nobility, usually meaning “commander") of the camp.........

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