New Delhi, March 18 – Post Operation Sindoor, the biggest headache for Pakistan has been recruitment. Prior to the operation carried out by the Indian armed forces that dismantled the terrorist infrastructure, recruitment into groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Tayiba was widespread.
An intelligence assessment indicates that recruitment has fallen by nearly 30 to 40 per cent. This has led the ISI to change its strategy, with recruitment now driven more by money than ideology.
This strategy applies to recruiting for Islamic groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Tayiba, as well as the espionage network and Khalistan terror groups, an official said.
The ISI realized that ideology is no longer the primary driving force. The damage that Operation Sindoor has inflicted on the morale of terrorist groups has automatically led to recruitment drives falling sharply.
However, the ISI has managed to achieve some success by luring young people with money. Interestingly, the ISI is willing to recruit young people regardless of their religion, faith, or caste.
The ISI's handlers have been actively recruiting young people, offering them substantial sums of money.
The ISI is prepared to spend anything in the range of Rs 10,000 to Rs 200,000, depending on the role assigned to the individual being recruited.
An official from the Intelligence Bureau said that the lure of money has been somewhat effective for the ISI.
The target audience are students and those in need of money. However, an interesting aspect that has emerged during multiple investigations is that the ISI has been able to tap into those who aspire to a high-profile lifestyle.
The strategy of offering financial incentives has been more successful for those seeking to improve their lifestyle rather than those in need of money.
An official from the Intelligence Bureau says that the ISI has instructed its handlers and recruiters not to consider the religion of those they are recruiting. This means that a group or network would consist of people from various faiths.
This ensures that these groups operate under less scrutiny, the official added.
The ISI first implemented the strategy of offering financial incentives for recruiting Khalistan terror networks. They realized that the movement was not gaining sufficient traction.
The ISI has been attempting to exploit the drug problem that is rampant in Punjab. They are offering large sums of money to the youth, so they can pay for the drugs that flow into Punjab.
Intelligence agencies warn that this recruitment drive will only get bigger. The target audience is vast, and the ISI is recruiting people from all faiths to run the espionage network and provide logistical support to terrorist groups.
There is a particular concern in border areas, where Pakistani elements are trying to gather as much information as possible about the movement of troops and military installations.
In major cities, the recruitment drive is focused on recruiting youth to provide logistical support to terrorist groups. These young people are paid money to shoot videos of government offices, buildings that house the judiciary, police stations, and railway stations, among others.
Another official said that, in essence, the ISI is not aiming for an immediate strike.
It is taking its time to build a pan-India network and gather as much data as possible.
Currently, Pakistan is engaged in a war against the Afghan Taliban, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
The Pakistan Army is receiving assistance from terrorist groups such as the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), Jaish-e-Mohammad, and Lashkar-e-Tayiba.
The strategy that the ISI has adopted for recruitment will not only revive the agency but also all other terrorist groups.
The ISI hopes that by the time these groups revive, it will have a wealth of information and a large number of recruits in India.
Intelligence agencies have also advised the police to keep a close watch on influencers.
Indian agencies have busted a large network of spies, which consists of influencers with a large following.
The ISI will target them again, and then try to win a narrative battle against India, Intelligence Bureau officials say.