Pakistan-based terrorist outfits Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) are shifting their operational bases from Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province, according to sources in India's defence and military establishments. This relocation, described as a "tactical adaptation", stems from the groups' perception of heightened vulnerability in PoK following India's precision strikes under Operation Sindoor earlier this year.

Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7 in retaliation to a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed multiple lives and was attributed to Pakistan-supported militants. Indian forces targeted key terrorist infrastructure in locations including Bahawalpur, Muridke, and Muzaffarabad, dismantling training camps and launchpads used by JeM and other groups.

The operation led to four days of cross-border escalation, culminating in a mutual ceasefire agreement on May 10. The strikes exposed the fragility of terror networks in PoK, prompting a strategic pivot toward KPK, which borders Afghanistan and provides logistical depth for evasion and resupply.

Sources indicate the movement is occurring with explicit facilitation from Pakistan's state apparatus, including intelligence and law enforcement agencies. A joint dossier compiled by Indian security and intelligence bodies highlights recent JeM public gatherings in Pakistan, held under police protection and involving alliances with political-religious entities like Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI). This state complicity underscores persistent concerns over Pakistan's dual role in harbouring and enabling transnational terrorism, despite international pressure to curb such activities.

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A notable incident cited in the dossier unfolded in Garhi Habibullah town, Mansehra district of KPK, where JeM conducted a brazen public recruitment drive on September 14—just hours before an India-Pakistan cricket match. The event, co-organised with JUI, featured senior JeM commander Maulana Mufti Masood Ilyas Kashmiri, alias Abu Mohammad, a high-value target wanted in India for his ties to JeM founder Maulana Masood Azhar.

Protected by armed JeM cadres wielding M4 rifles and local police, the rally signals deepening integration of terror operations into Pakistan's societal fabric. Indian authorities view this as evidence of ongoing threats, reinforcing calls for sustained vigilance and diplomatic measures to dismantle these networks.

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