How Jaish-e-Mohammed funds terror acts. Here's a look at its source of income

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New Delhi: Banned terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), which has been dependent on Pakistan and donations to carry out its terror activity, has over the years started "legitimate businesses" to generate its own source of income.

According to an assessment done by Indian and US intelligence officials, since 2007, the terror outfit has been investing in real estate, production and distribution of consumer goods and commodity trading, a report in the Times of India said.

“These investments are known to ISI and the Pakistani military but they allow JeM to flourish as it suits their anti-India agenda,” an officer told ToI on conditions of anonymity.

According to the US state department, Jaish-e-Mohammed raises funds through Al Rehmat Trust and Al Rashid Trust. The money raised from these trusts for a “religious” cause is invested in the above-mentioned businesses, the daily said.

According to intelligence inputs and international reports, lack of jobs in Pakistan, the state of lawlessness, failure of governance has helped the outfit increase its strength.

The terror outfit is estimated to have over 1,000 trained terrorists with several thousand more as recruits and students in various madrasas. 

Its recruitment arms are spread across Pakistan with the main focus on southern Punjab (Pakistan), where other terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Lashkar-e-Taiba, factions of Al Qaida and Taliban also operate freely, the publication mentioned.

The daily citing Brussels-based International Crisis Group said, the area between and around southern Punjab’s Rajanpur, Sindh’s Kashmore and Balochistan’s Dera Bugti districts “have created sizeable sanctuaries for criminal and jihadist groups”.

Terror groups, including JeM, have even occupied three small islands on the Indus river. The islands have lax law enforcement and the riverine terrain is often inaccessible, which suits these groups.