One name among the targets of Operation Sindoor by Indian Armed Forces stands out: Muridke. The headquarters of terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) became a nursery of terror over decades, grooming children as well as youths as terrorists who will cross over into India and execute terror attacks. Ostensibly, the Muridke seminary, called Markaz, is a religious preaching centre as well as a charitable institution but those activities are a front for the terror training facility. LeT supremo Hafiz Saeed's headquarter, the Muridke seminary has had links to al Qaeda terrorist Osama bin Laden and several major terror attacks in India including 26/11 Mumbai attack.
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Hafiz Muhammad Saeed is the founder and leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba and the driving force behind the establishment and operation of the Muridke Markaz. His leadership has been instrumental in shaping the organization's ideology and operational strategies. Under his guidance, the Markaz has evolved into a central hub for LeT's activities, serving as a base for training, recruitment, and planning. Saeed's influence extends beyond the Markaz, with his involvement in various organizations and initiatives that promote jihadist ideologies. His leadership has been a key factor in the growth and expansion of Lashkar-e-Taiba, solidifying Muridke Markaz's position as the nerve center of the organization's operations.
How Muridke Markaz came up and grew into a terror facility
The Muridke Markaz, officially known as Markaz-e-Taiba, was established in 1988 by Saeed, the co-founder of LeT, and his associates. Located approximately 30 kilometers north of Lahore, in the Punjab province of Pakistan, the complex spans over 200 acres and serves as the central hub for LeT's operations. It functions as the headquarters of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), a front organization for LeT.
Also Read: Operation Sindoor: What, where, and how India avenged the deaths of 26 in deadly Pahalgam attack
The establishment of the Muridke Markaz was part of a broader strategy to create a structured and sustainable base for jihadist activities. The facility was designed to serve multiple purposes: as a training ground for militants, a center for ideological indoctrination, and a logistical base for operations targeting India, particularly in the Kashmir region. The complex includes madrassas, hospitals, markets, residences, fish farms, and agricultural tracts, providing a self-sustaining environment for its inhabitants.
The Markaz also houses a modern-looking, computerized religious university, which has five related institutions. At least two dozen thoroughbred horses are used for training the center’s students between the ages of eight to twenty years. As per reports, these students, dressed in military uniforms, are imparted compulsory training in shooting and swimming. In fact, they are not allowed to cross the barbed periphery wire until they are mature.
Over the years, the Muridke Markaz evolved into a sprawling complex that not only served as a training ground for militants but also as a center for ideological indoctrination. The facility has been instrumental in recruiting and training individuals for jihadist activities, particularly in the Kashmir region. The Markaz's influence extends beyond its physical boundaries, with a network of affiliated institutions and individuals spread across Pakistan and other regions.
The Markaz complex, spread across 82 acres, comprises a madrassa, market, residential area for terror entities, sports facility, a fish farm and agricultural tracts. The complex held arms and physical training facility, as well as for dawa'h and radicalisation/indoctrination for terror entities both from within Pakistan and abroad. Sufa Academy, located in the Markaz catering to religious indoctrination for male cadres and a separate Sufa education centre for women. This served as mushrooming ground for radicalisation of students to motivate them to join armed jihad. It can be compared to a terror factory. This markaz enrols around 1,000 students in different courses annually there by highlighting the role of this markaz in churning out terror entities for LeT annually.
Also Read: From Bahawalpur to Sialkot, here's all about the nine terror camps destroyed by India in 1 am strike
The growth of the Muridke Markaz has been facilitated by significant financial support, including allocations from the Punjab provincial government. For instance, in the fiscal year 2013-14, the Punjab government allocated $620,000 to facilities run by the proscribed charity, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, which operates the Markaz-e-Taiba. Such financial backing has enabled the Markaz to expand its infrastructure and activities, further entrenching its role in LeT's operations.
A report in Kashmir Herald in 2002 narrated the atmosphere of the Muridke seminary: "Photography of all living things which is anathema to the Professor is strictly prohibited. The Markaz Dawa Wal Irshad describes photo cameras, TV sets and films as un-Islamic and its students carry out periodic campaigns for the public destruction of cameras and TVs. Visitors are frisked for cigarettes and any other addictive substances, which are banned in the complex. The Muridke complex is also not just restricted to the Markaz Dawa Wal Irshad. Around the seminary, the organisation has bought land for supporters, who have built houses, shops and more mosques and centres of Islamic learning. "We want like-minded people to get together," says a resident. Evidently that is happening. The organisation has transformed the land between Lahore and Gujranwala into an Islamic state that has banned music, television and smoking on its heavily guarded premises. Not even passing vehicles are allowed to play music which, the Professor believes, is strictly forbidden in Islam. The complex also has a garment factory, an iron foundry, a wood-works factory, a swimming pool and three residential colonies."
The Markaz owes allegiance to the Ahle-Hadis sect of Islam which preaches a return to the "pure" Arab version of Islam. Another feature of the Markaz, as per a 2002 TOI report, is that they see the battle in Kashmir as the first stage in the larger project of Islamising India and then the world. When a recruit joins the outfit, he drops his South Asian name and adopts an Arab name such as Abu Zubair or Abu Ali. He is also sent for the Daura-e-Am (routine) and later Daura-e-Khas (special) training. Earlier, the outfit had camps in the Kunar province of Afghanistan, but then most of them shifted to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
As per the 2002 report, the website of Muridke seminary proudly listed its "terror achievements" at that time: "The website of the Markaz Irshad, in fact, proudly displays the cold equations of terror," says the report and goes on to give the details. "During the last eleven years of jihad in Kashmir, 14,369 Indian soldiers were killed as against 1,016 Lashkar-e-Toiba militants. In 1999, eleven fidayeen (suicide) missions in Kashmir (that is, what Pakistan refers to as Held Kashmir) killed 258 Indian soldiers and officers. In 2000, by the grace of Allah, the mujahideen successfully carried out 98 fidayeen missions in which 891 Indian soldiers including three colonels, 10 majors, one commandant, one captain, three engineers and a number of JCOs were killed.'
The Osama bin Laden connection of Muridke Markaz
The Muridke seminary has had links with al Qaeda supremo Osama bin Laden who is said to have played an important role in its origin. As per the 2002 Kashmir Herald report, Laden made a hefty financial contribution to it: "So far, Rs 30 million have been spent on the Markaz projects. Where has the money come from? Osama bin Laden, whisper rumours. It is alleged that the Saudi billionaire, a figure who has grown from being demonised by the West to being mythologised, rolled out a thick wad - Rs 10 million - for the construction of the Markaz's mosque. Osama bin Laden is even said to have financed Professor Saeed, his low-key, comrade-in-arms Zafar Iqbal, and a short-lived founder, Abdullah Azam, to launch the Markaz Dawa Wal Irshad in 1989."
Click here for all latest develpments on India-Pakistan conflict
Hafiz Muhammad Saeed is the founder and leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba and the driving force behind the establishment and operation of the Muridke Markaz. His leadership has been instrumental in shaping the organization's ideology and operational strategies. Under his guidance, the Markaz has evolved into a central hub for LeT's activities, serving as a base for training, recruitment, and planning. Saeed's influence extends beyond the Markaz, with his involvement in various organizations and initiatives that promote jihadist ideologies. His leadership has been a key factor in the growth and expansion of Lashkar-e-Taiba, solidifying Muridke Markaz's position as the nerve center of the organization's operations.
How Muridke Markaz came up and grew into a terror facility
The Muridke Markaz, officially known as Markaz-e-Taiba, was established in 1988 by Saeed, the co-founder of LeT, and his associates. Located approximately 30 kilometers north of Lahore, in the Punjab province of Pakistan, the complex spans over 200 acres and serves as the central hub for LeT's operations. It functions as the headquarters of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), a front organization for LeT.
Also Read: Operation Sindoor: What, where, and how India avenged the deaths of 26 in deadly Pahalgam attack
The establishment of the Muridke Markaz was part of a broader strategy to create a structured and sustainable base for jihadist activities. The facility was designed to serve multiple purposes: as a training ground for militants, a center for ideological indoctrination, and a logistical base for operations targeting India, particularly in the Kashmir region. The complex includes madrassas, hospitals, markets, residences, fish farms, and agricultural tracts, providing a self-sustaining environment for its inhabitants.
The Markaz also houses a modern-looking, computerized religious university, which has five related institutions. At least two dozen thoroughbred horses are used for training the center’s students between the ages of eight to twenty years. As per reports, these students, dressed in military uniforms, are imparted compulsory training in shooting and swimming. In fact, they are not allowed to cross the barbed periphery wire until they are mature.
Over the years, the Muridke Markaz evolved into a sprawling complex that not only served as a training ground for militants but also as a center for ideological indoctrination. The facility has been instrumental in recruiting and training individuals for jihadist activities, particularly in the Kashmir region. The Markaz's influence extends beyond its physical boundaries, with a network of affiliated institutions and individuals spread across Pakistan and other regions.
The Markaz complex, spread across 82 acres, comprises a madrassa, market, residential area for terror entities, sports facility, a fish farm and agricultural tracts. The complex held arms and physical training facility, as well as for dawa'h and radicalisation/indoctrination for terror entities both from within Pakistan and abroad. Sufa Academy, located in the Markaz catering to religious indoctrination for male cadres and a separate Sufa education centre for women. This served as mushrooming ground for radicalisation of students to motivate them to join armed jihad. It can be compared to a terror factory. This markaz enrols around 1,000 students in different courses annually there by highlighting the role of this markaz in churning out terror entities for LeT annually.
Also Read: From Bahawalpur to Sialkot, here's all about the nine terror camps destroyed by India in 1 am strike
The growth of the Muridke Markaz has been facilitated by significant financial support, including allocations from the Punjab provincial government. For instance, in the fiscal year 2013-14, the Punjab government allocated $620,000 to facilities run by the proscribed charity, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, which operates the Markaz-e-Taiba. Such financial backing has enabled the Markaz to expand its infrastructure and activities, further entrenching its role in LeT's operations.
A report in Kashmir Herald in 2002 narrated the atmosphere of the Muridke seminary: "Photography of all living things which is anathema to the Professor is strictly prohibited. The Markaz Dawa Wal Irshad describes photo cameras, TV sets and films as un-Islamic and its students carry out periodic campaigns for the public destruction of cameras and TVs. Visitors are frisked for cigarettes and any other addictive substances, which are banned in the complex. The Muridke complex is also not just restricted to the Markaz Dawa Wal Irshad. Around the seminary, the organisation has bought land for supporters, who have built houses, shops and more mosques and centres of Islamic learning. "We want like-minded people to get together," says a resident. Evidently that is happening. The organisation has transformed the land between Lahore and Gujranwala into an Islamic state that has banned music, television and smoking on its heavily guarded premises. Not even passing vehicles are allowed to play music which, the Professor believes, is strictly forbidden in Islam. The complex also has a garment factory, an iron foundry, a wood-works factory, a swimming pool and three residential colonies."
The Markaz owes allegiance to the Ahle-Hadis sect of Islam which preaches a return to the "pure" Arab version of Islam. Another feature of the Markaz, as per a 2002 TOI report, is that they see the battle in Kashmir as the first stage in the larger project of Islamising India and then the world. When a recruit joins the outfit, he drops his South Asian name and adopts an Arab name such as Abu Zubair or Abu Ali. He is also sent for the Daura-e-Am (routine) and later Daura-e-Khas (special) training. Earlier, the outfit had camps in the Kunar province of Afghanistan, but then most of them shifted to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
As per the 2002 report, the website of Muridke seminary proudly listed its "terror achievements" at that time: "The website of the Markaz Irshad, in fact, proudly displays the cold equations of terror," says the report and goes on to give the details. "During the last eleven years of jihad in Kashmir, 14,369 Indian soldiers were killed as against 1,016 Lashkar-e-Toiba militants. In 1999, eleven fidayeen (suicide) missions in Kashmir (that is, what Pakistan refers to as Held Kashmir) killed 258 Indian soldiers and officers. In 2000, by the grace of Allah, the mujahideen successfully carried out 98 fidayeen missions in which 891 Indian soldiers including three colonels, 10 majors, one commandant, one captain, three engineers and a number of JCOs were killed.'
The Osama bin Laden connection of Muridke Markaz
The Muridke seminary has had links with al Qaeda supremo Osama bin Laden who is said to have played an important role in its origin. As per the 2002 Kashmir Herald report, Laden made a hefty financial contribution to it: "So far, Rs 30 million have been spent on the Markaz projects. Where has the money come from? Osama bin Laden, whisper rumours. It is alleged that the Saudi billionaire, a figure who has grown from being demonised by the West to being mythologised, rolled out a thick wad - Rs 10 million - for the construction of the Markaz's mosque. Osama bin Laden is even said to have financed Professor Saeed, his low-key, comrade-in-arms Zafar Iqbal, and a short-lived founder, Abdullah Azam, to launch the Markaz Dawa Wal Irshad in 1989."
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