Lashkar-e-Taiba rift deepens as operatives turn against Pakistan army and ISI

For decades, the outfit operated in strict alignment with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), showing little deviation from instructions. 

However, recent developments suggest deepening fractures within its leadership and ranks.

Intelligence officials indicate that senior commanders have begun expressing dissatisfaction over strategic decisions imposed by the Pakistani establishment. 

This marks the first serious internal dissent within the organisation, which has historically maintained rigid discipline and obedience.

Operation Sindoor triggered discontent

Sources say the tipping point came after Operation Sindoor, during which Lashkar-e-Taiba reportedly lost substantial infrastructure. 

The setbacks triggered frustration among cadres who felt abandoned by the ISI and Pakistan Army. 

Many fighters reportedly believe they were not adequately protected, shaking their trust in the establishment.

While the ISI initially managed to calm tensions and initiate regrouping efforts, anger resurfaced following fresh operational directives from the army. 

The leadership ordered Lashkar operatives to engage militant groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a move that caused widespread resentment.

Forced into fighting their own

Officials reveal that Lashkar cadres are furious over being deployed against fellow Pakistanis, particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 

Fighters reportedly believe the establishment is prioritising Chinese and Western interests, especially linked to rare earth minerals in Balochistan, over domestic stability.

With the Pakistan Army struggling to contain the TTP and BLA, it allegedly sought support from Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) and attempted to align it with Lashkar-e-Taiba. 

This strategy angered Lashkar leaders, who view ISKP as hostile to the Afghan Taliban.

Lashkar-e-Taiba has consistently supported the Taliban, making Pakistan’s military campaign against Afghan factions another major point of contention. 

Commanders are now questioning why they are being forced to fight groups they ideologically support.

Public dissent surfaces

The discontent, once whispered internally, has now spilled into public view. 

Pakistan analysts say the establishment’s demands are becoming unsustainable for Lashkar’s leadership to justify. 

Fighters reportedly believe their mission should remain focused on India and Western forces, not domestic conflicts.

A recent viral video of Lashkar commander Mohammad Ashfaq Rana intensified the controversy. 

In the footage, Rana openly criticises Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, accusing them of exploiting the group.

Rana claims the establishment failed to protect Lashkar fighters while pushing the country deeper into debt. 

He alleges massive financial mismanagement, saying Pakistan could have prospered if borrowed funds were not siphoned off.

Hafiz Saeed’s absence raises questions

Officials say the growing rebellion signals a widening rift between Lashkar leaders and Pakistan’s security establishment. 

The continued absence of founder Hafiz Saeed from public appearances has further fuelled speculation that all is not well inside the outfit.

Security experts warn that an open rebellion within Lashkar-e-Taiba would be extremely dangerous. 

The group’s cadres are known for their discipline, and past instances of defiance are almost nonexistent.

Regional security at risk

Intelligence officials caution that if disillusioned Lashkar fighters defect to outfits like the TTP, Pakistan could face severe internal security consequences. 

Such a shift would dramatically weaken state control over militant networks.

Analysts further warn that a Lashkar split could set off a chain reaction, triggering similar unrest in other terror outfits such as Jaish-e-Mohammad. 

If these groups begin acting independently, the threat level across South Asia could escalate sharply.

With violence already rising inside Pakistan, experts say the unravelling of its proxy terror network could push the region into a more volatile and unpredictable phase.