Jaish-e-Mohammed members collect funds outside Karachi mosque for jihad against India

Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), the terrorist organisation accused of carrying out the Pathankot attack in January this year, is reportedly seeking funds outside mosques in Karachi to send jihadists to fight in India and Afghanistan. The footage obtained by The Indian Express was shot on Friday night and Saturday and shows the members of JeM openly collecting funds despite being banned in Pakistan. Outside a mosque in Karachi’s Jacob Lines area, one of the men can reportedly be seen shouting, “Help the mujahideen of the Jaish-e-Mohammad, the mujahideen of Islam, fight jihad in Kashmir against the Indian Army, and in Afghanistan against the Americans.” The footage also shows police officers standing nearby and watching the banned organisation’s men collect funds. Another men in the obtained video shouts, “Generously donate to the brave young men of the Jaish-e-Mohammad who are fighting for the victory of the name of God and Islam.” (You can watch the video here) [caption id=“attachment_2876950” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Screengrab of the video showing JeM members asking for funds. Youtube/OfficialMQM[/caption] According to an ANI report on the website of  The New Indian Express, the funds were being collected in the name of charity for Ramzan. It appears that while the Pakistani government is cracking down on political outfits like Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM), JeM is allowed to operate, seemingly with impunity. Jamia Uloom-e-Islam, where the “mujahideen” of JeM were soliciting funds, is known as the “fountainhead" of Jihad. The seminary is famous for producing several terrorist leaders, including JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar. Interpol has issued a red corner notice against Azhar for planning the Pathankot attack. According to The Indian Express, the seminary has also produced Qari Saifullah Akhtar, who headed the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami, and Fazl-ur-Rehman Khalil, the leader of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen. Sami-ul-Haq, head of al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) is also from Jamia Uloom-e-Islam. Indian intelligence agencies believes that he is operating out of Karachi. He was also declared a terrorist by the United States last week. Haq posted a message online on 1 July which called on Indian Muslims to “pick up their daggers, and start attacking the Indian Administrative Service and Indian Police Service officers who protect Hindus during communal riots”. “When your daggers reach the necks of the Hindus who now call for your blood, you see how their words change,” the message further read. JeM continues to operate from Pakistan, despite being banned in 2002 after the deadly attack on the Indian Parliament. The Indian Express reported that in May, 2016 that JeM relocated its secret training facility to Fort Maujgarh. According to Indian intelligence, this base is used to train militants for terror missions. However Pakistan Prime Minister’s Foreign Policy Adviser Sartaj Aziz said that the calls made by one of the Pathankot attackers was traced back to Jaish’s headquarters in Bahawalpur, as reported by the Pakistani newspaper Dawn. The Indian security sources also show a rise in JeM operations in Kashmir. The group is reportedly seeking to expand its strength in the hills around Srinagar. According to a report submitted by security agencies to the Ministry of Home Affairs, terrorist activities have increased in Jammu and Kashmir and JeM is posing a significant threat, reported The Daily Pioneer.