Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) has changed its name to Majlis Wurasa-e-Shuhuda Jammu wa Kashmir to ward off international pressure and scrutiny over its jihadi training activities in Pakistan. The change in the name of the terror group is significant as the term Jaish has been removed and Kashmir been added. The development could be a challenge to the Indian security forces as militant groups across Pakistan has already called for attacks in India after Centre revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status. English daily, Hindustan Times reported that Jaish's new avatar Majlis Wurasa-e-Shuhuda Jammu wa Kashmir roughly means "gathering of the descendants of martyrs of J&K".
Moreover, as confirmed by sources, Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar, the younger brother of its chief Masood Azhar who is severely ill has now become the de facto leader of Jaish. Azhar is fighting for his life due to a prolonged illness in Markaz Usman-o-Ali in Bhawalpur, Pakistan. With a changed name, Jaish will now operate under the same leadership and terrorist cadre. Earlier, the outfit was known as Khudam-ul-Islam and Al Rehmat Trust. One of its prominent leaders in Pakistan, Maulana Abid Mukhtar, has already declared jihad against India, the US and Israel at its Kashmir rallies earlier this year.
Watchers in Pakistan has said that Jaish has been preparing a group of at least 30 suicide attackers to target India especially its military installations and convoys of Indian defence forces in Jammu and Kashmir. Further, Azhar's younger brother Rauf Asghar has already reactivated the Markaz Syed Ahmad Shaheed training camp at Balakot which was bombed and destroyed by the Indian Airforce in February this year, following a deadly attack on CRPF convoy in Pulwama. Rauf is also radicalising youth in Bhawalpur and Sialkot to attack Indian security establishments.
A number madrasas infusing radicalisation among the youth is activated in Pakistan including Qauat ul Islam, Abu Huraira and Ashab us Safa in Mardan, Al Sufa Zaida in Swabi, Faiz ul Quran in Nusratzai, and Saad Bin Muaz and Tehfiz ul Quran after Modi government abrogated article 370 which provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Two of the training centres in Bhawalpur and Jamrud have been given the task to be ready in case of a war between India and Pakistan.
