Operation Sindoor: Why was Bahawalpur attacked and what is its link with Jaish-e-Mohammed Chief Masood Azhar

In a major move against terrorism, the Indian armed forces carried out strikes on terror camps in Pakistan in a secret overnight mission. Operation Sindoor targeted nine sites in Kotli, Muridke, and Bahawalpur. Pakistan has officially confirmed the strikes.

The main focus of the attack was on the terror groups Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)—both responsible for many deadly attacks in India over the last 30 years.

Bahawalpur is one of the largest cities in Pakistan and is home to JeM. It houses the group’s main base at the Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah, also known as the Usman-o-Ali campus. This 18-acre site includes a mosque, madrassa, gym, stables, and even a swimming pool. It was among the locations struck by Indian forces.

According to an India Today report, the campus is used for recruitment, training, and fundraising. It is run by the Al-Rahmat Trust, which funds JeM operations. Despite being officially banned in 2002, JeM has continued to function openly. Its founder, Masood Azhar, lives in Bahawalpur in a high-security area near a Pakistani army base, showing alleged links between JeM and Pakistan’s military intelligence agency, ISI.

Masood Azhar was arrested in India in 1994 but was released in 1999 after a plane hijacking incident. Soon after, he formed JeM. The group follows the Deobandi ideology and has close ties with other terror organisations like al-Qaeda. 

JeM aims to merge Kashmir with Pakistan using violence. Since 2000, the group has carried out several major attacks in India, including:

According to reports, Masood Azhar remains the symbolic head, though he is reportedly unwell. His brother, Abdul Rauf Azhar, and other leaders like Shah Nawaz Khan and Maulana Asghar are believed to be actively training over 300 recruits in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Operation Sindoor is seen as India’s strong message that terror will not be tolerated.