Pak vows to rebuild JuD’s Muridke HQ destroyed in strikes

The Pakistan government has promised to reconstruct structures destroyed in India’s May 7 airstrikes that served as the headquarters of the Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) at Muridke, 40 km from Lahore. Reportedly, the announcement was made by Khalid Masood Sindhu, president of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), a political front for the proscribed JuD, which is widely known to be a façade for the Lashkar-e-Toiba. The LeT was the terror group responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

The Tribune had exclusively published in its columns on May 14 about Pakistan's decision to rebuild structures destroyed in Indian airstrikes and even compensating the legal heirs of the deceased. Notably, relatives of US-designated terrorist Masood Azhar were also killed in the airstrikes, which makes him eligible for Rs 14-crore payout.

India’s Operation Sindoor targeted nine terror sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack that left 26 civilians dead. Among the primary targets were the LeT base at Muridke and the Jaish-e-Mohammed stronghold in Bahawalpur.

While Pakistan has portrayed the Muridke complex as a mosque and an educational centre, Indian intelligence agencies have consistently identified it as a breeding ground for terror operations.

"The government has announced to rebuild the mosques destroyed in the Indian attack. It is a welcome step,” said Sindhu, adding that PMML cadres remained “vigilant” against future strikes.

Notably, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had on Friday urged the International Monetary Fund to reassess its financial support to Pakistan, warning that global aid might be fuelling the terror networks India had worked to dismantle.