After the Indian Supreme Court judgement abrogating Article 370 of the Indian Constitution early this month, there are signs of Pakistan reviving old anti-Kashmiri militant groups like Al Badr Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Mohammad. Most of these groups are handled now by Military Intelligence (MI).
On December 15, Upper Dir witnessed a public rally by Al Badr Mujahideen supporting Palestine. The militant group was once a key ally of Pakistan Army in East Pakistan to violently suppress the Bengali Pakistanis. The group was then active in Kashmir till the Indian forces successfully destroyed the group’s infrastructure and cadre. Since then, the group has been helping the army in targeting rebellious Pashtoons in the tribal areas.
Similarly, a few months ago, there were reports of Jaish-e-Mohammad holding a rally in Karachi. The militant group, led by Masood Azhar, was responsible for several suicide bombings in Kashmir as well as the aborted attack on the Indian Parliament.
The Al Badr, a militant group operating in Kashmir, emerged in 1998 with a stated aim of “liberating” the region and merging it with Pakistan. Claiming to represent the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination, the group’s actions have been marked by violence and extremism.
Reportedly tracing its roots to a 1971 anti-Bengali group in East Pakistan and later aligning with Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s Hizb-e-Islami in Afghanistan, Al Badr has consistently advocated for a sovereign Kashmir. Criticizing moderate Kashmiri organizations like the JKLF, the group also holds strong opposition to the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia.
Driven by a vision of Kashmir as a gateway to “liberating” Muslims across India, Al Badr’s violent tactics and expansionist ideology have made it a significant threat to regional stability. Official sources suggest the group’s shift to independent operations in 1998, allegedly encouraged by Pakistan’s ISI, further solidified its militant agenda.
December 16, 2023
Source: several social media outlets