By Nivedita Dash

Copyright india

Following Operation Sindoor launched by the Indian Army in May 2024 the map of terrorist activities in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is rapidly changing. According to intelligence inputs Pakistan-sponsored terrorist organizations like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) are now shifting their bases to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province. This is being considered a deliberate strategy not merely a compulsion following Indian attacks.
Why are they changing their location?
According to experts PoK is now considered more vulnerable to Indian precision strikes. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the other hand appears to be a safer option for terrorists due to its geographical depth proximity to the Afghan border and old jihadist bases left over from the Afghan war. This is why terrorist organizations have begun shifting a significant portion of their activities there.
Intelligence sources indicate that Pakistans government machinery is also instrumental in this process. Organizations like the JeM are being allowed to hold public meetings and are provided police protection. Even the political-religious organization Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) is involved behind the scenes in these activities.
Operation Sindoor
In Operation Sindoor which began on May 7th the Indian Air Force and Army targeted nine major terrorist bases in Pakistan and PoK. These included Markaz Subhanallah in Bahawalpur (Jaishs headquarters and recruitment center) and Markaz Taiba in Muridke (Lashkar-e-Taibas headquarters). At least 100 terrorists were killed in the attacks.