'Shia Threat' To Asim Munir? How Pakistan Has Activated Lashkar, JuD Fronts As A Response

Last Updated:March 25, 2026, 00:06 IST

Sources said despite official bans and international pressure from bodies like the FATF, these interconnected fronts operate with striking freedom in major cities like Karachi

A strategic resurrection of the banned Difa-e-Pakistan Council as an establishment tool has raised alarms among regional observers, as per Indian intelligence reports.

The Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC) is an umbrella organisation notorious for its links to extremist elements, which has reportedly been activated following an alleged “Shia threat" to Pakistani Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir. 

According to top Indian intelligence sources, the DPC has seen a significant resurgence across Pakistan’s urban centres. Far from a grassroots movement, the reactivation of this banned platform is increasingly viewed as a calculated strategic move by the Pakistani establishment to navigate mounting internal pressures and regional geopolitical tensions.

The intelligence sources told News18 that the DPC functions as a sophisticated “triad structure", designed to provide the state with maximum plausible deniability while mobilising public sentiment. At the heart of this ecosystem lies a symbiotic relationship between its various wings: Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) serves as the militant backbone, providing operational capability, while Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) acts as the public-facing charitable front.

The sources said the outfit itself adds a final layer of political-street mobilisation. This multifaceted arrangement allows the groups to rebrand and diffuse international scrutiny while maintaining strict ideological alignment with state objectives.

They said despite official bans and international pressure from bodies like the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), these interconnected fronts operate with striking freedom in major cities like Karachi. While dissenting or opposition voices often face restricted access to media, DPC-linked networks continue to enjoy unrestricted access to press platforms.

This visibility is not accidental, the sources said, rather it reflects an environment where law enforcement remains “zero" because of the immunity provided by military and intelligence patrons. A primary driver for this current revival appears to be the heightening of tensions between Pakistan and Iran.

They said by activating Sunni hardline elements and leaders from groups like Sipah-e-Sahaba and JuD, the establishment aims to counterbalance pro-Iran Shia mobilisation and suppress domestic Shia activism. Through the DPC, the state can deploy sectarian and hardline nationalist messaging to shape the public narrative without direct attribution.

The DPC’s activation is a “deliberate move to outsource narrative warfare and street signalling", the sources said. The government’s use of “selective enforcement" ensures that these bans remain largely procedural – often limited to the 4th Schedule – allowing extremist networks to rebrand and function as political proxies during times of friction.

They said historically backed for operations in Kashmir and against India, these entities remain viewed as strategic assets rather than liabilities. By ensuring that hardline nationalist messaging continues to dominate the public sphere, the military and intelligence services maintain a powerful tool for domestic control and regional posturing.

The sources further said as these proxy networks resurface under the DPC banner, it becomes clear that the “paper bans" of the past have done little to dismantle an ecosystem that remains vital to the state’s strategic interests.

News world 'Shia Threat' To Asim Munir? How Pakistan Has Activated Lashkar, JuD Fronts As A Response

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