Srinagar, May 31, 2026 : Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has reportedly directed its network of Over Ground Workers (OGWs) in Jammu and Kashmir to infiltrate mainstream national political parties in an attempt to evade security crackdowns and ongoing investigations into terror-related activities, according to officials from central security agencies.
Officials said the move is part of a broader strategy aimed at protecting terror-linked operatives from intensified counter-terror operations while simultaneously attempting to rebuild and sustain support networks in the Union Territory.
According to security sources, recent interrogations of several OGWs arrested by Srinagar Police revealed that some of the accused were associated with national political parties at the grassroots level.
Investigators believe that by embedding terror sympathisers within legitimate political structures, the ISI seeks to provide its operatives with a layer of protection and legitimacy while facilitating logistical support, recruitment, funding and propaganda activities linked to terror organisations.
Officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the strategy as a sign of growing pressure on Pakistan-backed terror networks operating in Jammu and Kashmir.
They said traditional terror outfits and their support structures have faced sustained action from security forces over the years, resulting in shrinking local support bases and disruption of established recruitment and financing channels.
“By attempting to blend their operatives into mainstream political activity and revive older militant identities, they are trying to create new avenues of survival while misleading young people through historical narratives,” a security official said.
Revival Of Dormant Terror Outfits
Security agencies have also observed renewed attempts to revive several locally-originated terror outfits that had largely become inactive after the early years of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.
Officials said the ISI is attempting to give terrorist violence an “indigenous appearance” by bringing back names associated with the militancy of the 1990s and early 2000s.
Among the organisations reportedly being monitored for renewed activity are Al-Umar Mujahideen, Al-Badr and Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen.
According to intelligence inputs, the objective behind reviving these older banners is to project a narrative that terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir is an internal movement rather than a cross-border proxy conflict directed from Pakistan.
Officials stated that while the leadership of these organisations remains based in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), efforts are underway to reactivate local networks involved in radicalisation, propaganda dissemination, recruitment and financial facilitation.
Membership Cards Used To Avoid Scrutiny
Security officials noted that some OGWs have attempted to use political party membership cards during cordon-and-search operations or questioning in an effort to avoid suspicion and evade investigation.
According to officials, such tactics have evolved over the years.
“In the late 1990s, suspects often used voter identity cards to avoid scrutiny. Later, Aadhaar cards were similarly presented to create an impression of innocence. Now, some individuals are attempting to use political affiliations in a comparable manner,” an official said.
However, security agencies emphasized that political party membership does not provide immunity from investigation and that legal action continues strictly on the basis of evidence and intelligence inputs.
Officials also clarified that no mainstream political leadership has ever intervened to shield individuals found involved in terror-related activities.
Increased Vigilance By Security Agencies
Central intelligence and security agencies have intensified monitoring of emerging networks, particularly those attempting to revive dormant organisations or exploit political and social structures for extremist objectives.
Officials said efforts are focused not only on dismantling logistical and financial support systems but also on countering attempts to radicalise vulnerable youth through misinformation and extremist propaganda.
Security agencies believe preventing ideological radicalisation remains essential to preserving the gains made in restoring peace and stability across Jammu and Kashmir.
Authorities have reiterated that surveillance, intelligence gathering and targeted operations against terror support structures will continue, with particular focus on individuals and networks attempting to operate under the cover of legitimate activities.
Officials stressed that maintaining long-term peace in the region requires constant vigilance against both physical terror infrastructure and the ideological ecosystems that seek to sustain it.
