According to media reports, each centre will be overseen by a “District Muntezima”, responsible for recruiting local women. The organisation has reportedly imposed strict codes of conduct, including a ban on members communicating with unknown men via phone or social media.
In a 21-minute audio message, Azhar outlined his plan to recruit, train, and deploy women for what he called “global jihad.” He claimed that women who join the organisation would be “granted paradise directly from their graves”, adding that they would work alongside male fighters to spread Islam worldwide.
Courses modeled after men’s jihad training
Azhar revealed that women’s training will follow the structure of the men’s long-running programme. The first module, called ‘Daura-e-Tazkiya’, will be conducted at JeM’s Bahawalpur centre. The second stage, ‘Daura-Ayat-ul-Nisa’, will involve lessons from Islamic texts on how to wage jihad.
For nearly two decades, JeM has trained men under the ‘Daura-e-Tarbiyat’ course, promising them martyrdom and heaven for fighting against India. Now, Azhar said, similar indoctrination would be extended to women.
Explaining the move, he said, “Our enemies have recruited Hindu women in their armies and used female journalists against us. I am now preparing my women to confront them.”
Recruitment of poor and madrasa-educated women
JeM is reportedly targeting wives of militants and poor women from madrasas in Bahawalpur, Karachi, Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Haripur, and Mansehra for recruitment. Intelligence sources have expressed concern that these women may later be used in suicide missions.
Until recently, JeM did not permit women to participate in combat operations, but after the Pahalgam attack and India’s Operation Sindoor, Azhar and his brother Talha al-Saif decided to form a women’s wing.
While groups like ISIS and Boko Haram have long used women in suicide bombings, this marks a significant shift for organisations such as JeM, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen, which previously avoided female participation.
Relocation of terror camps to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Following Operation Sindoor, which destroyed several militant hideouts, JeM, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen have relocated their training bases to Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province.
These outfits have also begun seeking donations from civilians to rebuild infrastructure damaged in the Indian strikes. In August 2025, JeM reportedly launched an online fundraising campaign worth ₹3.91 billion to construct 313 new “Markaz” (training centres) across Pakistan.
Masood Azhar’s terror legacy
Masood Azhar, one of India’s most wanted terrorists, is the mastermind behind the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, the 2016 Pathankot airbase attack, and the 2019 Pulwama bombing that killed 40 CRPF personnel.
According to Delhi Police chargesheets, Azhar has orchestrated multiple strikes on Indian soil, including the 2005 Ayodhya attack, the 2016 Uri attack, and the assault on the Indian consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan.
JeM’s latest move to train women in terrorism marks a dangerous escalation in its operations, signalling the group’s attempt to rebuild and expand following heavy losses in recent counterterrorism operations
.jpg)
