On 10th June, Sky News published an interview with Pakistan People’s Party Vice President Sherry Rehman where questions were raised about the al-Qaeda-affiliated Brigade 313. Sky News journalist Yalda Hakim asked the question about it and Rehman tried to evade the question.
'Pakistan is fighting very hard to clean its terrorist record'
— Sky News (@SkyNews) June 9, 2025
Vice President of the Pakistan People's Party Senator Sherry Rehman tells @SkyYaldaHakim 'Pakistan is a changed country', even though they were taken off the grey list in 2022https://t.co/1GOylJEIzn pic.twitter.com/Y7ei3Wbo9h
When Hakim confronted her with details from the Terrorism Research and Analysis Consortium (TRAC) identifying Brigade 313 as an al-Qaeda-led outfit operating out of Pakistan and coordinating attacks in Kashmir, Rehman dodged responsibility.
She said, “Am I going to war every time there is an attack in India?” and brushed aside suggestions that Pakistan should be held accountable for repeated cross-border terrorism. She further deflected, citing the presence of multiple so-called insurgencies within India and claimed Pakistan is now a “changed” country.
The interview also revisited Pakistan’s past grey-listing by FATF and the role of 26/11 plotter Sajid Mir. Rehman skirted direct answers, stating only that Pakistan has a “long history” with terrorism, including fighting it.
What is Brigade 313?
Brigade 313 is a Pakistan-based terror coalition formed in the early 2000s. It is widely regarded as one of al-Qaeda’s most lethal extensions in the region. The terror outfit’s name draws inspiration from the 313 companions of Prophet Muhammad who fought the Battle of Badr. It signifies its deep-rooted ideological symbolism. The coalition was led by Ilyas Kashmiri, a former Pakistani Army commando who later rose to become one of al-Qaeda’s top commanders before being killed in a 2011 US drone strike.
Brigade 313 reportedly functioned as a hybrid formation. It is not a standalone organisation but an amalgamation of terrorists from Lashkar-e-Taiba, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Taliban factions. It operated under the umbrella of al-Qaeda and formed part of its Lashkar al-Zil or “Shadow Army”, known for executing high-profile terrorist operations with precision and planning.
The group has been behind a series of targeted assassinations, bombings, and coordinated attacks both within Pakistan and in Jammu and Kashmir. It has been described by analysts as one of the most dangerous and effective jihadist units in the region. Beyond South Asia, according to the Combating Terrorism Centre, the CIA has documented Brigade 313’s operatives in various European cities, highlighting its transnational threat.
According to the BBC, the group is a specialised combat unit within HuJI. It is responsible for high-impact missions against Indian interests. The terrorists linked to the group carried out operations allegedly with the tacit approval or active support of Pakistan’s military and intelligence network, exposing the nexus between state and non-state actions in the region against India.
The group’s operational structure, recruitment strategy, and integration of members from multiple terror outfits have made it a potent force within the global jihadist landscape. While leadership losses such as Kashmiri’s death have weakened its core, the ideology and networks fostered by Brigade 313 continue to be a cause for international concern.
