Not afraid of TRF death threat, says EFSAS Director Junaid Qureshi; flags Pakistan-backed sleeper cell terror in Kashmir

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 31 (ANI): Junaid Qureshi, Director of the European Foundation for South Asian Studies (EFSAS), has received a direct death threat from The Resistance Front (TRF), a terror outfit identified as an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, even as he asserted that intimidation will not silence his voice against terrorism.
The threat, intercepted on the encrypted messaging platform Element X, explicitly stated that the group "will not hesitate in eliminating" him, marking a departure from routine warnings aimed at forcing ideological compliance.
"I am not afraid of these threats. What I write, I will keep writing. What I say, I will keep saying. If the result is death, it is in the hands of God," said Junaid Qureshi.
Qureshi warned that Pakistan continues to rely on terror proxies to destabilise Kashmir while attempting to shift blame onto local populations. He said recent attacks, including in Delhi, were part of an effort to create the impression that Kashmiris, and not Pakistan-backed groups, are responsible for terrorism.
He described the growing use of educated professionals in terror networks as a deliberate narrative tactic. "The idea that education or a stable job prevents radicalisation is false. Radicalisation may take longer, but it eventually happens," he said, citing global terror figures who were well-educated and economically privileged.
Highlighting the drug menace in Kashmir and Punjab, Qureshi said narcotics are being used as a currency to fund terrorism in conflict zones. He termed this phenomenon narco-terrorism, adding that digital tools and alternative financial channels are now being used to sustain terror operations.
Qureshi noted that banned terror outfits continue to reinvent themselves under new names, pointing to TRF as a Lashkar-e-Taiba offshoot that has already been designated by India and the United States. He warned that sleeper cells pose a significant challenge, as individuals can lead normal lives while receiving online training and carrying out attacks discreetly.
"This model is far more dangerous than traditional infiltration," he said.
Despite the risks, Qureshi said he would continue his work without compromise.
"Speaking the truth is my responsibility. Silence only helps extremism," he said. (ANI)