• Source:JND
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The banned Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) has adopted a new name to bypass international sanctions and continue raising funds for its operations. According to intelligence inputs accessed by NDTV, the outfit will now operate under the name Al-Murabitun, which translates to “defenders of Islam” in Arabic.

Name Change Aimed At Securing Funding

The rebranding comes ahead of a memorial service for Yusuf Azhar, brother of Jaish founder Masood Azhar, scheduled next week in Pakistan. Sources told NDTV that the decision was taken to de-link from the Jaish-e-Mohammed name, which has been under intense global scrutiny since its involvement in major terror strikes, including the 2001 Parliament attack, the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, and the Pulwama and Uri attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.

Authorities noted that the new name will only be utilised inside Pakistan, enabling the group to present itself differently for fundraising purposes while keeping operations uninterrupted.

FATF Flags Digital Wallet Funding

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), in a July report, highlighted how Jaish-e-Mohammed has turned to digital wallets, UPI transfers, and e-payment channels to bypass restrictions. Investigators traced at least five such wallets directly linked to Masood Azhar’s family. The outfit is believed to be attempting to raise nearly four billion Pakistani rupees to establish more than 300 markaz (training hubs) across Pakistan.

Routing money through digital wallets allows Islamabad to claim compliance with FATF restrictions on formal banking channels while enabling the outfit to continue receiving funds under the radar.

Rebuilding After Operation Sindoor

The developments come months after India carried out Operation Sindoor, in which missile strikes destroyed nine terror camps, including Jaish’s Bahawalpur base, following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Jaish and other Pakistan-supported factions, such as Hafiz Saeed's Hizbul Mujahideen, started relocating their bases further inside Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province, bordering Afghanistan. This move is to protect itself from Indian strikes, as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is now perceived to be highly vulnerable.

ALSO READ: Why Are Jaish-e-Mohammed And Hizbul Mujahideen Moving Their Bases To KPK? Here's What Report Says

The NDTV report also revealed that JeM has launched fresh recruitment drives in towns such as Garhi Habibullah in Mansehra district. On September 14, just hours before the India-Pakistan cricket match in Dubai, Jaish commander Masood Ilyas Kashmiri addressed a gathering under the protection of Pakistan’s Army and police. Intelligence officers said Kashmiri’s speech openly acknowledged Pakistan’s continued patronage of terror outfits on its soil, even as Islamabad faces pressure from the international community.

ALSO READ: India Exposes Pakistan At UN, Rekindles ‘Blood And Water' Jibe For Politicising Indus Treaty | Watch

This is not the first instance of a Pakistan-based group renaming itself to evade sanctions. Renaming and launching new fronts have been an old strategy for militant networks in South Asia. The use of the name Al-Murabitun is likely to give only temporary shelter, but India's intelligence agencies are on guard against its fundraising and recruitment activities.