Islamabad: Pakistan’s government has pledged to rebuild mosques at Muridke—identified by India as a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror base—damaged during India’s recent airstrikes under Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack.
The Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), widely considered the political arm of the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), confirmed the government’s commitment to reconstruct the sites hit in the May 7 operation. Indian missiles struck nine terror-linked locations across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), including LeT’s Muridke hub near Lahore and the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) base in Bahawalpur.
Despite Indian claims of targeting militant infrastructure, Pakistani officials maintain that only a mosque and educational complex were hit. Three JuD members reportedly died in the strikes, and their funerals were attended by top military and police officials, drawing further scrutiny.
India Raises Alarm at IMF
India has raised strong objections at international forums, including the IMF, warning that Pakistan may use newly disbursed funds—$1 billion under the IMF’s $7 billion support programme—for terror infrastructure rebuilding.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh accused Islamabad of allocating around Rs 14 crore to JeM chief Masood Azhar and using IMF funds to revive LeT and JeM facilities in Muridke and Bahawalpur.
Domestic Support for JuD
PMML President Khalid Masood Sindhu welcomed the mosque reconstruction move as a “positive step.” Former Jamaat-e-Islami chief Siraj-ul-Haq also visited the damaged mosque, condemning India’s operation while asserting the local community’s resilience.
In response to India’s strikes, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, which officials claimed sent a “strong retaliatory message.”
