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In a troubling new development, the Pakistan-based terror organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) has announced the formation of a women’s jihad brigade under the name ‘Jamat-ul-Mominat’. This information comes from a 21-minute audio recording of JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar, which was delivered recently at Markaz Usman-o-Ali in Bahawalpur, Pakistan.
In the recording, Azhar outlines a structured plan to train and indoctrinate women as part of his broader “global jihad” strategy. The speech parallels JeM’s longstanding training module for men but introduces distinct courses specifically for women.
Blueprint for a Female Jihad Force
Azhar explains that female recruits will undergo a 15-day introductory course titled Daura-e-Taskiya, the women’s version of the male Daura-e-Tarbiat programme that has existed for two decades. He promises spiritual rewards for women who join the movement, claiming that those who die as members of Jamat-ul-Mominat “will go straight to paradise.”
After the initial course, participants will proceed to an advanced phase known as Daura-Ayat-ul-Nisah, which Azhar says will teach “Islamic guidance for women to participate in jihad.”
“Any woman who joins JeM’s women brigade, ‘Jamat-ul-Mominat’, will go straight to paradise from her grave after death,” said Azhar.
Azhar defends the creation of the female wing by arguing that “enemies of Islam” have deployed women against JeM, pointing to women in the Indian military and the media; therefore, he intends to “mobilise Muslim women to counter them.”
Recruitment, Restrictions, and Leadership
The JeM chief reveals plans to establish Jamat-ul-Mominat branches across Pakistan, each led by a District Muntazima responsible for recruiting and managing female members. Members are forbidden from speaking to unrelated men by phone or on social media, except with immediate family.
According to intelligence inputs, Azhar’s sister, Sadiya Azhar, has been appointed to head the new wing. Another sister, Samaira Azhar (alias Umme Masood), and Afeera Farooq, widow of Pulwama bomber Umar Farooq, will serve as key instructors. The group has already begun online indoctrination sessions, with classes scheduled five days a week from October 25 onward.
JeM’s official posters have advertised these sessions, highlighting that several women whose male relatives were killed in encounters with Indian forces are now part of the group’s propaganda arm, named Shoba-e-Dawat.
In the audio, an emotional Azhar also references the loss of several family members, including his sister Hawa Bibi, allegedly killed during India’s Operation Sindoor, saying that the idea for the women’s brigade was first discussed with her.
Pakistan’s Patronage Under Scrutiny
Despite Pakistan’s repeated claims of banning terrorist outfits, JeM and other anti-India organisations continue to operate freely. Intelligence assessments suggest that Islamabad has provided these groups greater freedom of movement, emboldened by shifting regional dynamics.
Bangladesh Angle Raises Alarm
Parallel to JeM’s latest move, Indian agencies are also tracking developments in Bangladesh, where Maulana Ibtisam Ilahi Zahir, a close associate of Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed, has been seen delivering provocative speeches near the India-Bangladesh border.
Zahir, who holds the post of General Secretary of Pakistan’s Markazi Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith, arrived in Bangladesh on October 25 and has visited several border districts, including Chapainawabganj, Rangpur, and Lalmonirhat. In viral videos, he is heard urging followers to “sacrifice themselves and their children for Islam” and calling for unity against secular and liberal forces.
Zahir also raised the Kashmir issue, declaring that “Pakistan must stand with the oppressed Kashmiris” and predicting that “Kashmir will one day become part of us.”
Pakistan-Bangladesh Nexus Under Watch
Adding to concerns, Pakistani Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Sahir Shamshad Mirza recently met Bangladesh’s interim head Mohammad Yunus and reportedly presented a controversial book depicting India’s northeastern states as part of Bangladesh. Indian agencies fear these events may signal a coordinated Pakistan-Bangladesh attempt to stir unrest in India’s Northeast.
Zahir is expected to remain in Bangladesh until November 8, addressing a series of Salafi conferences across the border belt, including major gatherings in Joypurhat, Nagaon, and Rajshahi districts.
Regional Security Concerns
Zahir’s presence in Bangladesh, coupled with JeM’s creation of a women’s jihad wing in Pakistan, indicates a renewed push by terror networks to expand influence across South Asia. Indian intelligence officials warn that the involvement of women in jihadist roles may complicate counter-terror efforts, as female recruits can more easily evade scrutiny and operate under social cover.
As Islamabad and Dhaka remain silent on the issue, New Delhi’s security establishment is on high alert, closely monitoring developments that could alter the region’s security landscape.
Team BharatShakti
