The Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) is one of the most violent terrorist groups operating within Pakistan. It was formed in 1996 by a break away group of radical sectarian extremists of the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), a Sunni politico-extremist outfit, which accused the parent organisation of deviating from the ideals of its co- founder, Maulana Haq Nawaz Jhangvi. The outfit uses terror tactics in its aim to force the Pakistani State into accepting its narrow interpretations of Sunni sectarian doctrines as official doctrines. The victims of its terror tactics have been leaders and workers of rival Shia outfits, bureaucrats, policemen, and worshippers of the 'other' sect.

Its leadership and command structure is not clear. Some reports state that Riaz Basra, having assumed the title of Saalar-i-Aala (Commander-in-Chief) is the chief of the outfit. He is reportedly involved in about 300 cases of murder and robbery and is accused of masterminding a series of murders, attacking Iranian missions, killing an Iranian diplomat Sadiq Ganji in December 1990 and targeting government officials. He was arrested and tried by a special court for Ganji's murder, but escaped during trial in 1994 from police custody while being produced in court.

Some other reports have concluded that the outfit is an amalgam of loosely co-ordinated sub units in different parts of the country, particularly the districts of Punjab with autonomous chiefs of each sub-unit. These reports indicate that Basra heads the LeJ units in Lahore, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi and Sargodha. Another top LeJ terrorist, Malik Ishaque, presently under detention, was the chief of the units in Faisalabad, Multan and Bahawalpur divisions and Bhakkar district. These reports attribute the ruthless success of the outfit to its multi-cellular structure where the outfit is divided into small groups and which are not in touch with each other all the time.

A recent news report, citing unamed sources, claims that there has been a split in the outfit in October 2000. This report states that one faction is now headed by Riaz Bazra, while the other is headed by the chief of the outfit's Majlis-i-Shoora (Supreme Council), Qari Abdul Hai alias Qari Asadullah alias Talha. The issue leading to the split is reported to be difference between the two over resumption of the ethnic strife, which had receeded into a relative lull after the military coup, in Pakistan, of October 1999. While Basra is reported to be in favour of resuming attacks against Shia targets and forcing the government to bow down to the demands of the outfit while Talha has reportedly opposed the plan terming it suicidal not only for the organization but also for the national solidarity. The report cites Talha as taking the stand that with a military regime in power, any armed activity would invite stern action against the Lashkar.

The outfit had suffered losses of several top leaders and other cadres due to a crackdown initiated by the Nawaz Sharief administration in 1998. In 1999, a press release of the outfit was quoted to have offered a reward of 135 million Pakistani rupees for the killing of Nawaz Sharief, the then Prime Minister; Shabaz Sharief, his younger brother and then Chief Minister of Punjab, and Mushahid Hussein, then Information Minister. An attempt was made on the life of Nawaz Sharief when a bomb exploded and destroyed a bridge between Lahore and Raiwind, barely an hour before he was to pass by on January 2, 1999. Intelligence authorities suspected the involvement of the Lashkar in this incident.