Rise of Jamaat-ul-Mominaat: Inside JeM’s Rapid Female Radicalisation Drive

Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) launching a dedicated women’s wing, Jamaat-ul-Mominaat (JUM). Reports indicate that more than 5,000 women have already joined this newly formed extremist unit within weeks, triggering grave concerns among Indian and global security agencies. What initially appeared as an online religious course has now expanded into a full-fledged female radicalisation network aiming to recruit, indoctrinate, and mobilise women for militant activities.

Image from OpIndia

A Large-Scale Recruitment Wave Across Pakistan

The recruitment campaign for Jamaat-ul-Mominaat began on October 8 from JeM’s headquarters in Bahawalpur. Soon after, Masood Azhar publicly announced through online posts that thousands of women had joined what he described as a “spiritual effort.” The group quickly gained traction in cities including Multan, Karachi, Sialkot, Muzaffarabad and Kotli, suggesting a coordinated effort to tap into both urban and rural populations.

Masood Azhar has also proposed establishing district-level branches across Pakistan, each led by a female “muntazima” responsible for managing operations, training participants, and spearheading further recruitment. This decentralised structure aims to expand JeM’s footprint while keeping the network dispersed and harder to detect.

Digital Indoctrination: The New Tool of Extremist Groups

Unlike earlier waves of terrorism that relied on physical training camps, Jamaat-ul-Mominaat uses digital platforms to deliver indoctrination. Recruits participate in online sessions lasting approximately forty minutes each, delivered under programmes labelled Tufat-al-Muminat or Daura-e-Taskiya. These sessions combine religious narratives with extremist ideology, gradually conditioning participants toward the group’s militant agenda.

The recruitment process also serves as a financial channel. Each woman is reportedly required to pay PKR 500 for enrolment — a strategic move that helps the organisation raise funds while expanding its influence. For JeM, which has faced financial sanctions and global scrutiny, this model allows them not only to radicalise new members but also sustain their operations economically.

Leadership Driven by JeM’s Inner Circle

Jamaat-ul-Mominaat is not a peripheral wing but an operation tightly controlled by JeM’s core leadership. The wing is reportedly headed by Masood Azhar’s sister, Sadiya Azhar, ensuring loyalty, secrecy, and internal discipline. Other prominent members include his sister Samaira Azhar and Afeera Farooq, the widow of a known JeM operative.

This family-dominated structure is consistent with JeM’s traditional approach, where close relatives are placed in key roles to prevent infiltration and maintain ideological coherence. By involving women from within its own households, JeM aims to project a sense of legitimacy and religious authority to attract more recruits.

Growing Security Concerns and Emerging Threat Patterns

The rise of Jamaat-ul-Mominaat marks a significant transformation in Pakistan-based terrorism. Security agencies warn that women involved in terror networks may be used for covert operations, including attempted suicide attacks or logistical support roles that traditionally evade strict scrutiny.

Recent investigations into a car blast in Delhi have already pointed to possible involvement of women linked to this network. Such cases highlight how the female wing could be exploited for cross-border operations, propaganda dissemination, or assisting male operatives in bypassing security measures. The digital nature of their training further complicates monitoring efforts, as sessions can be conducted discreetly across borders.

A New Phase of Radicalisation: Why It Matters

The formation of Jamaat-ul-Mominaat signals a deliberate attempt by JeM to reinvent its recruitment strategy and expand its militant base by targeting women — a demographic historically underutilised in South Asian extremist movements. By leveraging online platforms, religious narratives, emotional vulnerability, and social isolation, JeM is constructing an ecosystem where women are repositioned not just as supporters, but as active participants in extremist violence.

This shift demands new counterterror approaches that are gender-aware and technologically adaptive. As extremist organisations modernise their recruitment tactics, intelligence agencies will need to recalibrate their surveillance, digital investigation, and community-level intervention frameworks.

The MGMM Outlook

The rapid rise of Jamaat-ul-Mominaat marks a deeply troubling shift in Pakistan’s evolving terror ecosystem, revealing how extremist groups are broadening their strategies to exploit new segments of society. What JeM once framed as a harmless online religious course has quickly transformed into a full-fledged female radicalisation machinery, drawing in more than 5,000 women within weeks. From digital indoctrination sessions to district-level recruitment plans, JeM is deliberately targeting vulnerable women through emotional, religious, and social manipulation. This trend not only showcases Pakistan’s persistent failure to curb extremist networks but also exposes how terror outfits are innovating beyond traditional male-driven structures to create more flexible and less detectable cells. The involvement of Masood Azhar’s own family members signals the seriousness of this initiative and the organisation’s intent to maintain tight ideological control while expanding its influence nationwide.

This expansion of female-led extremist activity presents a new layer of threat that cannot be ignored. Women radicalised under Jamaat-ul-Mominaat may be deployed for covert roles that bypass usual security scrutiny—ranging from logistical assistance to potential suicide missions. Early signs, such as suspected involvement in the recent Delhi car blast probe, highlight how this network could be leveraged for cross-border destabilisation. The digital-first recruitment model allows seamless outreach into sensitive regions and complicates monitoring for security agencies. As Pakistan continues to provide space for such organisations to operate, India must prepare for a more unpredictable and decentralised terror landscape. The rise of Jamaat-ul-Mominaat is not merely a shift in tactic—it is a calculated evolution aimed at strengthening militant capabilities under the guise of religious engagement, demanding renewed vigilance and updated counterterror strategies.

(Sources: OpIndia, NDTV, Moneycontrol)