The French magazine Le Spectacle du Monde revealed alarming links between Pakistan and the terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in a detailed investigative report. 

The article titled "Jaish-e-Mohammed, Troubled Games in Pakistan," published in the Winter 2024 edition of the French magazine Spectacle du Monde, was written by Antoine Colonna, the Editor-in-Chief. It was translated into English using AI and examines Pakistan's alleged role in supporting and sheltering extremist groups, despite its international promises to fight terrorism. The report points out the revival of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), especially in the Bahawalpur area of Punjab province. The group is said to run large facilities like Markaz Subhan Allah, which include dormitories, religious education centres and even solar-powered systems for self-sufficiency. These complexes are used as hubs for indoctrinating and training terrorists.

According to the magazine, satellite images and eyewitness accounts show that these activities are carried out openly. One such complex is located just eight kilometres away from a Pakistani military base. "According to satellite photos available on the Planet Labs website, Jaish-e-Mohammed has two centres in the Bahawalpur area: Markaz Subhan Allah and the Usman-o-Ali mosque," said the report. The first is a 60,000-square-meter plot, it noted, has about fifty rooms, a sports hall, dorms, and a centre for studying the Quran. 

"A nephew of Masood Azhar, Muhammad Ataullah Kashif, is the administrative head of the Markaz. The centre provides extremist religious education as well as physical training to its approximately 600 to 700 internal members. It houses 40 to 50 teachers," said the French magazine in a report. The paper emphasises JeM's longstanding ties to ISI, Pakistan's intelligence agency, which are said to have enabled its operations against India. "In the 2000s, a branch of the ISI, the JIN (Joint Intelligence North), was specifically tasked with training and manipulating radical Islamist elements against India.

"During the Cold War, the ISI adopted the same structure as the Savak, the internal intelligence service of the Shah of Iran. It also received assistance from the CIA and the SDECE, the predecessor of France's DGSE," read the report. "In the same spirit, the security of the complex has been strengthened; satellite images show the construction of new guard posts. Solar panels can also be seen, enabling the centre to be completely self-sufficient," the report added. 

Former Pakistani officials, including ex-President Pervez Musharraf, have acknowledged supporting JeM during their time in office. These admissions highlight the deep connections between Pakistan's government and extremist groups. Pakistan's international reputation is further challenged by its history with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Although Pakistan was taken off the FATF grey list in 2022, concerns could resurface if reports about JeM's continued growth are confirmed.

This analysis highlights the broader geopolitical impact of Pakistan's actions, including increasing tensions with India, another nuclear-armed nation. The article's conclusion highlights how urgently greater counterterrorism measures and international responsibility are needed to maintain regional stability.