Opinion | MEMRI’s Findings and the Question Pakistan Must Answer on LeT

As a concerned citizen of my country, a nation that still carries the scars of the 2008 Mumbai attacks in its body and soul, I believe the time has come for renewed vigilance from our national security apparatus. We cannot afford to allow the blood of innocent citizens to be spilled again by terrorists trained and sheltered across the border.

For years, I have closely followed global conflicts and the evolving dynamics of Pakistan’s internal politics. In all that time, I have rarely come across a single instance where Pakistan’s political or military leadership has openly acknowledged its role in nurturing the violent infrastructure of terrorism in Kashmir or elsewhere. On every international platform, the official position has remained one of outright denial. Yet the contradiction has always been difficult to ignore. Many of the individuals who lead internationally designated terrorist organizations move freely within Pakistan, often enjoying treatment that resembles official patronage rather than scrutiny. Photographs and videos that surface from time to time show these figures presiding over public gatherings or leading prayers while senior members of Pakistan’s military establishment are seen in attendance. Let us, for a moment, set aside the long and troubled history and assume that the Pakistani state is genuinely willing to confront this legacy by bringing such actors to the table of accountability and justice. That hope, however, becomes harder to sustain when fresh developments emerge. A recent research report by the organization Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), accompanied by photographic and video evidence, has drawn attention to what appears to be a new and troubling development. The report suggests that the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba is now training cadres for maritime operations. This article attempts to examine those revelations in detail and to understand why Pakistan must finally present a clear and credible position on the question of terrorism, particularly the violence directed at India.

From what I gather after examining the details highlighted in the MEMRI report, the issue appears far more structured than an isolated training activity. The report suggests that Lashkar-e-Taiba has expanded its operational framework to include a specialized maritime component. Young recruits, reportedly between the ages of fifteen and thirty-five, are being enrolled in courses lasting roughly three to six weeks where they learn advanced swimming, scuba diving, water rescue techniques and motor-boat handling. What, according to me, makes this development particularly concerning is that these programs are not presented openly as terrorist training. They are allegedly conducted under the banner of disaster response and emergency rescue through platforms such as the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League and the Muslim Youth League. Yet the report indicates that participants are first exposed to religious and ideological lectures before some of them are gradually channeled into terrorist indoctrination. A number of trainees are then reportedly absorbed into Lashkar’s structure where they receive weapons handling and guerrilla warfare instruction.

The report also refers to visual evidence that recently surfaced online. In one such video, Lashkar leader Haris Dar is seen inspecting trainees during what appears to be a maritime training session, while another commander openly acknowledges that the group has begun forming a dedicated maritime force. To my mind, the scale described in the report is equally striking. Training activities are said to be taking place across multiple locations including Islamabad, Muridke, Lahore, Bahawalpur, Karachi and areas of Pakistan-administered Kashmir such as Muzaffarabad and the Mangla Dam region. Estimates cited in the report suggest that nearly five thousand youths have already undergone swimming-focused courses, with a smaller number reportedly being absorbed into Lashkar cadres. When placed in a strategic context, the report argues that such preparation closely mirrors the maritime infiltration method used during the November 2008 attacks in Mumbai, where a small group of highly trained terrorists entered India by sea and carried out coordinated strikes across several targets. If these findings are even partially accurate, it suggests a renewed attempt to develop sea-based infiltration capabilities, something that security planners in the region cannot afford to ignore.

What emerges from these revelations places Pakistan in a position where silence is no longer an option. For decades, Islamabad has repeatedly claimed on international platforms that it does not support terrorism and that terrorist groups operate without the state’s backing. Yet the reality on the ground continues to tell a very different story. Organizations like Lashkar-e-Taiba remain active despite being globally designated terrorist entities, and their activities appear to unfold in full public view. Training camps, recruitment drives and ideological mobilization cannot operate at such scale without the knowledge of the state machinery. If thousands of young recruits can be trained, videos of commanders inspecting camps can circulate openly, and front organizations can mobilize youth without restraint, then the world is justified in asking a simple question. Is Pakistan genuinely fighting terrorism, or is it merely pretending to do so while allowing these networks to survive under its political and military patronage? If the Pakistani government truly wishes to convince the world of its sincerity, it must move beyond statements and take decisive action to dismantle these organizations once and for all. Anything less will only reinforce the long-held belief that terrorism continues to find safe haven under Pakistan’s watch.

As a concerned citizen of my country, a nation that still carries the scars of the 2008 Mumbai attacks in its body and soul, I believe the time has come for renewed vigilance from our national security apparatus. India has already witnessed the devastating consequences of terrorists exploiting maritime routes to strike at the heart of our cities. We cannot afford to allow the blood of innocent citizens to be spilled again by terrorists trained and sheltered across the border. Any indication that terrorist groups are once again exploring sea-based infiltration must therefore be treated with utmost seriousness. What this really means is that India’s coastal and maritime security framework must remain constantly alert. Monitoring ports, fishing harbors and small landing points along the coastline becomes crucial because these are often the easiest entry points for covert infiltration. Coordination between the Navy, Coast Guard, marine police and local fishing communities is equally important, as fishermen are usually the first to notice unusual movement in coastal waters. Strengthening surveillance systems, expanding coastal radar networks and maintaining real-time intelligence sharing can significantly reduce the chances of hostile elements slipping through unnoticed. Vigilance at sea is no longer just a defensive necessity; it is a national responsibility shaped by the lessons of the past.

In the end, this is not merely a bilateral concern between India and Pakistan. The persistence of terrorist networks and their evolving tactics should concern the entire international community. Groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba have already demonstrated through the 2008 Mumbai attacks how a small, well-trained group can unleash devastation that reverberates far beyond national borders. If reports suggesting renewed maritime training are allowed to pass without scrutiny, the consequences may once again extend beyond the region. The world cannot afford to treat such warnings as routine intelligence chatter. What is required now is sustained international attention and pressure to ensure that terrorist infrastructures are dismantled in both letter and spirit. Peace in South Asia, and indeed global security, depends on the collective resolve to ensure that no country becomes a safe harbor for those who wage violence in the name of ideology.

Email: soulofkashmir1@gmail.com