Pakistan Army’s Desperation May Fracture Lashkar-e-Taiba as It Is Pushed to Fight the Taliban

New Delhi — A potentially destabilising move appears to be taking shape in Pakistan, with the army reportedly preparing to deploy Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists to Afghanistan to fight the Taliban. The decision reflects mounting pressure on the Pakistan Army, which is already stretched thin by sustained conflicts with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Balochistan Nationalist Army (BLA), and growing hostilities with the Afghan Taliban.

Security experts warn that this move could have serious long-term consequences. Lashkar-e-Taiba has deep ideological and operational sympathies for the Taliban, and many of its cadres view the Afghan group as a natural ally rather than an adversary. Several senior leaders within LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) are reportedly unhappy with Islamabad’s confrontational stance toward the Taliban.

According to officials, even before the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, sections within Lashkar-e-Taiba had expressed a desire to abandon the group’s Pakistan-directed agenda and join the Taliban in fighting Western forces in Afghanistan. At that time, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) intervened to prevent defections, with the Mumbai attacks allegedly serving to redirect the cadres’ focus.

Intelligence officials now caution that sending LeT fighters to battle the Taliban could trigger internal rebellion within the organisation. A significant section of cadres may refuse to fight a group they consider ideological brethren, potentially leading to a split within Lashkar-e-Taiba. Such a development could also severely undermine recruitment, as new entrants may be unwilling to participate in operations against the Taliban.

The situation is further compounded by Lashkar-e-Taiba’s recent setbacks. The outfit has suffered heavy losses following Operation Sindoor, during which several of its bases, training facilities, and cadres were targeted. Many operatives reportedly felt abandoned by both the Pakistani establishment and their own leadership, leading to attempts by cadres to quit the group. Questions were also raised internally about intelligence failures that left them vulnerable during the operation.

These developments have significantly dented morale within the organisation. Analysts believe that deploying LeT against the Taliban at such a time could worsen internal dissent and further weaken the group.

Intelligence Bureau officials say the move underscores the Pakistan Army’s growing desperation. While Jaish-e-Mohammed is considered the more potent militant group due to its emphasis on guerrilla warfare and fedayeen attacks, the army had initially sought to deploy JeM against the Taliban. However, JeM chief Masood Azhar reportedly refused, unwilling to pit his fighters against the Taliban.

Left with limited options, the army turned to Lashkar-e-Taiba, whose leadership swiftly agreed. LeT has historically remained loyal to the Pakistani establishment and is often viewed as its most reliable proxy. Nevertheless, officials acknowledge that the army would have preferred not to be forced into such a situation, especially as it continues to lose personnel to the BLA and TTP insurgencies.

Fighting on multiple fronts against well-entrenched adversaries — particularly the Afghan Taliban — is widely seen as beyond the Pakistan Army’s capacity. Despite knowing the plan could backfire, officials say the army felt compelled to take the risk.

The close relationship between Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Pakistani military was recently highlighted by a statement from LeT commander Qari Yakoob Sheikh, who praised Field Marshal Asim Munir following his elevation as Pakistan’s first Chief of Defence Staff. Sheikh also stated that his organisation was prepared to fight alongside the Pakistan Army if Kabul failed to curb alleged anti-Islamabad activities.

With inputs from IANS