Terrorists linked to the Pakistan-sheltered Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) at Charna Island, roughly 50 kilometres from Karachi, under the guise of tourism, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter and intelligence inputs circulating among security agencies.
The cadres, operating as part of what agencies refer to as LeT’s Dawa Marine Wing or Sada-e-Hurriyat, have been receiving instruction in scuba diving, combat swimming and underwater operations in the waters surrounding the island. Charna Island, also known as Churna Island, is a small, largely uninhabited rocky outcrop in the Arabian Sea near the boundary of Sindh and Balochistan provinces.
Its clear waters, reefs, and proximity to the mainland have made it a popular spot for commercial scuba diving, snorkelling, and water sports among tourists and diving enthusiasts. According to sources, members of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), often seen as a front for LeT, run the training. They present it as regular tourist diving, helping participants mix with other civilians in the area. The island is near Karachi’s port, Pakistani naval bases, and key shipping routes in the Arabian Sea. This has raised concerns among Indian security officials about possible training for maritime sabotage, sea infiltration, or attacks similar to the 2008 Mumbai incident.t.
LeT has operated a maritime wing since at least the 26/11 attacks, when members travelled by sea from Pakistan to Mumbai. In recent years, the group and its affiliates have increased their water-based training. Earlier reports mentioned sessions in swimming pools, at Mangla Dam in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, and other inland sites, focusing on advanced swimming, boat handling, and underwater tactics.
Videos from early 2026 showed LeT members, including some identified as PMML, supervising recruits during these drills. Senior leaders have also said publicly that their goal is to “rule the seas.”
Intelligence reports suggest thousands of young people have completed water-based training programs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in recent years. Only a smaller group moves on to advanced militant roles after further screening and weapons training. Moving the training to an open coastal dive site near Karachi is seen as a step up from the more controlled inland locations.
Indian security agencies are closely monitoring these developments and remain on high alert for any maritime threat along the western coast. This follows Operation Sindoor in May 2025, which targeted LeT sites in Muridke and launch pads near the LoC. The agencies say land infiltration routes are now much harder to use. The maritime threat remains significant given India’s long coastline and the volume of commercial and fishing traffic in the Arabian Sea.
Charna Island is a dive site in the region, legitimately listed as such by organisations such as PADI. It is also reported to be a site of covert training. The challenge of where the line is between legitimate tourism and dual use is evident here.
Security sources point to the technical skills being taught, the group's historical use of the maritime routes, and their proximity to major Pakistani ports as factors that would justify continued close monitoring.