Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) has launched a new initiative aimed at recruiting and training women for its jihadist activities, as revealed in a recent audio message from the group's leader, Masood Azhar. The 21-minute recording, delivered from JeM's headquarters in Bahawalpur, outlines the formation of a women's wing called Jamaat-ul-Mominat. This move comes shortly after the group faced significant losses during India's Operation Sindoor, which targeted its infrastructure.

In his speech, Azhar detailed a structured plan for the recruitment and indoctrination of women, mirroring the training programs established for male recruits. He announced that women will undergo a 15-day induction course named "Daura-e-Taskiya" at the Markaz Usman o Ali, similar to the male recruits' "Daura-e-Tarbiat" course. Azhar claimed that any woman who joins the new brigade “will go straight to paradise from her grave after death.” Following the initial training, women will progress to a second course, "Daura-Ayat-ul-Nisah," which focuses on how Islamic texts instruct women to conduct jihad.

Azhar justified the establishment of this female unit by stating that it is a response to what he perceives as the enemy's use of women in military and media roles. He asserted that JeM's male fighters will support the women's brigade, which he claims will help spread Islam globally. The group plans to set up branches of Jamaat-ul-Mominat in every district of Pakistan, each led by a District Muntazima responsible for local recruitment.

The leadership of the women's wing includes Azhar's sister, Sadiya Azhar, and other family members, such as Samaira Azhar and Afeera Farooq, the widow of a Pulwama attacker. They will conduct daily online sessions to motivate and recruit women. JeM has begun advertising these online classes, with sessions scheduled to start on October 25.

Azhar emphasized strict communication rules for recruits, stating that they must not interact with unrelated men except for their husbands or immediate family. He also mentioned that the new unit would include women whose male relatives were killed in encounters with the Indian Army, aiming to inspire new recruits through a campaign called "Shoba-e-Dawat."

This development marks a significant shift in JeM's strategy, as the group seeks to expand its operational capabilities by integrating women into its ranks. Security agencies are concerned that this could lead to the training and deployment of female suicide bombers in future terror operations, raising the threat level for India and the region.