Asim Munir called Op Sindoor 'Ghazwa-e-Hind': Jaish commander's explosive claim
A senior commander of Jaish-e-Mohammed has made a fresh admission linking Pakistan's military leadership and the terror outfits view of India's Operation Sindoor.
A top commander of terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed that Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir described India’s Operation Sindoor as “Ghazwa-e-Hind”, a term used to refer to the armed struggle to establish an Islamic rule guided by the principle of Sharia.
The statement was made by Ilyas Kashmiri while addressing a gathering of cadres in Rawalkot in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on February 5, where newly recruited militants were also present.
Addressing the gathering, Kashmiri recalled the days of Operation Sindoor and said the group’s “commander” had formally declared the war to be religious in nature.
“Jab jang chhid gayi, asalha nikal aaya, tayyare takra gayin, tank aamne saamne khade ho gaye, sipahsalar ne ailan kar diya ki ye Ghazwat-ul-Hind hai, ye Bunyan Al Marsoos hai (Once the war began, weapons came out, fighter jets clashed, tanks stood face to face, the commander announced that this is Ghazwat-ul-Hind, this is Bunyan Al Marsoos),” he said.
He further underlined the terrr outfit’s core line: “Hamara naam, hamari pehchan, hamara motto jihad hai. Jab sarkar saath thi tab bhi jihad, jab sarkar saath nahin thi tab bhi jihad. Jihad hamara maqsad hai. Hum jihad karenge aur Kashmir ko azaad karwayenge (Our name, our identity, our motto is jihad. When the government was with us, it was jihad; when it was not, it was still jihad. Jihad is our objective. We will wage jihad and free Kashmir.)
The Rawalkot speech is the latest in a series of public addresses by Pakistan-based terror leaders which highlights the nexus between Pakistan leadership and terrorism.
In recent months, figures linked to terror outfits have repeatedly used public platforms in Pakistan to glorify jihad, and frame the confrontation with India in religious terms, often in the presence of large gatherings of supporters.
India has long argued that such open rhetoric, along with the visibility of armed cadres at rallies and funerals, exposes the ecosystem of patronage available to UN-designated terrorists across the border.
India launched a no-holds attack against terrorism last year in the aftermath of Pahalgam attack in April that claimed the lives of 26 people. In response to the Pahalgam attack, India launched Operation Sindoor in May 2025 and targeted terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. India has maintained the strikes were a calibrated response meant to dismantle launch pads, training facilities and command structures used to plan attacks against India.
A top commander of terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed that Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir described India’s Operation Sindoor as “Ghazwa-e-Hind”, a term used to refer to the armed struggle to establish an Islamic rule guided by the principle of Sharia.
The statement was made by Ilyas Kashmiri while addressing a gathering of cadres in Rawalkot in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on February 5, where newly recruited militants were also present.
Addressing the gathering, Kashmiri recalled the days of Operation Sindoor and said the group’s “commander” had formally declared the war to be religious in nature.
“Jab jang chhid gayi, asalha nikal aaya, tayyare takra gayin, tank aamne saamne khade ho gaye, sipahsalar ne ailan kar diya ki ye Ghazwat-ul-Hind hai, ye Bunyan Al Marsoos hai (Once the war began, weapons came out, fighter jets clashed, tanks stood face to face, the commander announced that this is Ghazwat-ul-Hind, this is Bunyan Al Marsoos),” he said.
He further underlined the terrr outfit’s core line: “Hamara naam, hamari pehchan, hamara motto jihad hai. Jab sarkar saath thi tab bhi jihad, jab sarkar saath nahin thi tab bhi jihad. Jihad hamara maqsad hai. Hum jihad karenge aur Kashmir ko azaad karwayenge (Our name, our identity, our motto is jihad. When the government was with us, it was jihad; when it was not, it was still jihad. Jihad is our objective. We will wage jihad and free Kashmir.)
The Rawalkot speech is the latest in a series of public addresses by Pakistan-based terror leaders which highlights the nexus between Pakistan leadership and terrorism.
In recent months, figures linked to terror outfits have repeatedly used public platforms in Pakistan to glorify jihad, and frame the confrontation with India in religious terms, often in the presence of large gatherings of supporters.
India has long argued that such open rhetoric, along with the visibility of armed cadres at rallies and funerals, exposes the ecosystem of patronage available to UN-designated terrorists across the border.
India launched a no-holds attack against terrorism last year in the aftermath of Pahalgam attack in April that claimed the lives of 26 people. In response to the Pahalgam attack, India launched Operation Sindoor in May 2025 and targeted terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. India has maintained the strikes were a calibrated response meant to dismantle launch pads, training facilities and command structures used to plan attacks against India.