In a concerning development, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), a UN-designated terrorist organization, is reportedly employing sophisticated methods to circumvent international scrutiny and maintain its operational capabilities. The group is leveraging Pakistan's digital payment infrastructure to bypass the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and establishing smaller training camps to evade military strikes.
To avoid the restrictions placed on them, JeM has turned to digital wallets such as EasyPaisa and SadaPay to raise funds. Indian intelligence agencies have been monitoring this online network. Approximately 80% of JeM's funding is now channeled through these digital wallets, with annual transactions estimated between PKR 800–900 million. These funds are used for various purposes, including procuring weapons, supporting camp operations, disseminating propaganda, purchasing luxury vehicles, and providing for Masood Azhar's family. A significant portion of these funds originates from Gulf countries.
These digital wallets effectively function as a "digital hawala" system for JeM. Instead of traditional bank accounts, funds are routed through the digital wallets of Masood Azhar's family members. This allows Pakistani officials to falsely claim to FATF that JeM's funding has been cut off by only showing bank account details.
Intelligence reports indicate that JeM's fundraising campaign is linked to several large digital wallets, including a SadaPay account in the name of Talha Al Saif and EasyPaisa wallets run by Masood Azhar's son, Abdullah Azhar, and JeM commander Syed Safdar Shah. There are reportedly over 250 additional EasyPaisa wallets being used for terror financing.
In addition to evading financial oversight, JeM is also adapting its training strategies to mitigate the impact of military operations. Following Operation Sindoor, which targeted JeM sites, the terror group is planning to establish a vast network of religious centers, mirroring Lashkar-e-Taiba's strategy, with plans to set up 313 new camps. After Operation Sindoor destroyed JeM's headquarters, Markaz Subhanallah, along with four other training camps, the organization launched an online fundraising campaign through EasyPaisa to collect PKR 3.91 billion for constructing 313 new markaz across Pakistan.
These smaller camps are more difficult to detect and target, providing JeM with a decentralized training infrastructure. This shift in strategy highlights the group's resilience and its ability to adapt to counter-terrorism measures.
These actions demonstrate a concerning trend of terrorist groups exploiting digital platforms and adapting their operational tactics to circumvent counter-terrorism efforts. This requires continuous monitoring, intelligence gathering, and international cooperation to effectively combat terrorism financing and prevent future attacks.
