There is no available information about the origin or nature of Lashkar-e-Jabbar (LeJ). Its existence came to notice when media in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) highlighted two attacks on women in Srinagar in August 2001. The first attack occurred on 7 August, when two unidentified youths poured diluted acid on two teachers.
Following day, an armed militant entered into a girls’ school and threatened violence unless they adopted “Islamic dress code”. After creating panic in the Kashmiri society, an unidentified person informed the media that his outfit, LeJ, is behind these attacks by adding that the organisation meant “business in implementing the dress code in Kashmir”. He further added that as such, the Muslim women must always wear burqa in public, and set 1 September 2001 as deadline.
This gave an opportunity to Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM), led by Asiya Andrabi, which had already started a campaign in 1993 exhorting Muslim women to observe purdah and desist from watching television, video and movies, to join the movement. However, the DeM appealed to LeJ to postpone the deadline which the latter readily accepted.
The main aim was to enforce the Islamic dress code and strict Islamist practice in Kashmir. The LeJ also drew a line of demarcation by asking men and women to sit separately in the buses. The group also issued another set of instructions on 25 December 2002 by circulating posters in which Kashmiri Muslims were directed to follow a set of guidelines on the lines of Taliban in Afghanistan which directed woman to wear burqas and men to wear caps and grow beards, in keeping with the “Islamic traditions”.
The diktats issued by the LeJ were condemned by the Hurriyat Conference, the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jaish-e- Mohammad (JeM). The LeT claimed that the aim of those involved in such activities is to turn public opinion against separatist groups. The LeJ, however, got the support of Jamait-ul-Mujahideen (JuM). Two prominent Indian Muslim organisations, the Jamiat-ul-Ulema-e-Hind and the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, said the activities of the elements represented by LeJ are bringing a bad name to Islam and Muslims.
The LeJ has not disclosed the names of its leaders and strength of its cadres. Information about its office and finances is also not available. Its actions have been supported by DeM and JuM.