Reconstruction of Jaish-e-Mohammed headquarters in Bahawalpur

Jaish-e-Mohammed's (JeM) headquarters at Bahawalpur in Pakistan's Punjab province has been substantially rebuilt about 15 months after the facility was targeted during Operation Sindoor, according to multiple reports citing visuals and intelligence inputs.

Exclusive visuals accessed by India Today TV show the Markaz Subhan Allah complex restored with fresh plaster, new marble and rebuilt domes, with impact craters in the central hall filled. Hindustan Times, citing the same report, said the structure is now refurbished, effectively concealing the damage caused by the strikes. The Week, which said it could not independently verify the footage, described the work as restoring damaged domes, rubble-filled interiors and impact craters using state-sponsored funds.

The Indian Air Force struck the JeM headquarters on May 7, 2025, as part of Operation Sindoor, in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack in April that year, in which 26 people were killed. The Markaz Subhan Allah was one of nine terrorist camps struck during the operation, as reported by The Week. Times Now said the premises were severely damaged during the retaliatory strikes.

Funding and extent of restoration

Intelligence inputs cited by multiple outlets indicate that the Pakistani establishment provided PKR 25 crore in cash instalments to JeM for the restoration. Moneycontrol, citing sources accessed by CNN-News18, said the Pakistan government, with alleged involvement of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), released around Rs 25 crore, of which approximately Rs 11 crore was spent on restoring the central hall of Markaz Subhanallah. Hindustan Times and NewsBytes carried similar figures, with NewsBytes noting approximately PKR 11 crore was used specifically for the central hall. The Times of India also reported that Pakistan channelled PKR 250 million to JeM, with around PKR 110 million used for the central complex.

Structures adjoining the main complex, including Madrasa Al-Sabir and residential quarters used by JeM commanders, have been cleared for new construction, according to Hindustan Times, NewsBytes and Outlook India. The damaged satellite buildings were reportedly demolished and rebuilt from scratch, as per a Times of India report cited by The Week.

Satellite imagery reviewed by India Today TV showed heavy machinery and construction vehicles at the compound in April, with darker shades on damaged domes a month later suggesting fresh cement work. A geo-intelligence researcher told the outlet that the activity indicated efforts to restore the facility to operational status. Moneycontrol said reconstruction activity became visible in early 2026, with heavy machinery, bricks and steel brought to the site, and by the middle to later part of 2026 the facility had regained the appearance of a fully functional complex. Times Now said the complex was rebuilt over a 15-month period.

Significance of the Markaz Subhan Allah complex

The 18-acre complex, also known as the Usman-o-Ali campus, is located around 100 km from the International Border and about 400 km southwest of Lahore, according to Outlook India and NewsBytes. It sits close to a Pakistan Army cantonment that houses the headquarters of the army's 31 Corps, as reported by Moneycontrol and Outlook India.

The facility historically served as a madrassa, recruitment centre and planning hub for JeM, providing training in weapons handling, physical drills and religious instruction, according to Hindustan Times, Moneycontrol and NewsBytes. The Bahawalpur camp has been linked to several major attacks against India, including the 2001 Parliament attack, the 2016 Pathankot airbase attack and the 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing. Outlook India noted that the Pulwama attack was reportedly planned at the Subhan Allah camp.

JeM founder Masood Azhar's relatives were among the casualties in India's May 7 strike on the facility; the group claimed that 10 of Azhar's relatives were among 13 people killed, as reported by NewsBytes and Outlook India.

Despite being banned by Pakistan in 2002, JeM continues to operate from the country under state protection for its leaders, including Azhar, according to NewsBytes and Outlook India. The Week reported that with Azhar incapacitated by health issues, day-to-day command of the Bahawalpur facility has fallen to his brothers, Talha Al Saif and Mohinuddin Aurangzeb (also known as Ammar Alvi), and that Azhar and Rauf Asghar continue to obtain government protection in the Nawabshah district of Sindh. The Week also noted that, while the facility was in ruins, ISI officials met with senior leaders of JeM, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizbul Mujahideen and The Resistance Front in Bahawalpur.

Expert commentary on rebuilding and regional context

Foreign affairs expert Robinder Sachdev, speaking with ANI, said regional militant groups like JeM and Lashkar-e-Taiba are facing severe leadership attrition, internal infighting and declining morale. He noted that multiple top commanders have been eliminated over recent years, with "about 20 or more in the last three odd years" killed, and that Hafiz Saeed is "living under isolation, in secret, not being able to communicate because if he communicates through phone, he is afraid that his location would be identified."

Sachdev said the reported physical rebuilding of the Bahawalpur headquarters is largely driven by state-backed efforts to keep the organizational apparatus afloat and maintain its operational network despite heavy losses. "During Operation Sindoor India inflicted major damage on their headquarters as well as their training camps. So now when morale is down when top leaderships are being eliminated or in hiding, how to recruit new jihadis? And to keep the organization going, it is the Pakistan ISI. I would say which has stepped up to at least resurrect, recreate the headquarters so that at least the headquarters is once again up and running," he said, adding that the rebuilding is intended to show the organization is still standing and wants to carry on its jihadist agenda.

Broader context

India has consistently highlighted to the international community that Pakistan provides a safe haven to JeM, which has been responsible for high-profile attacks including the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, according to Moneycontrol. Post-Operation Sindoor, terror organisations including JeM, Hizbul Mujahideen and LeT reportedly shifted base to Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, as reported by Hindustan Times.

This is not the first time reports have indicated that Pakistan is rebuilding terror facilities destroyed during Operation Sindoor, Moneycontrol noted.