Following Lashkar rally boasting 'revenge for 1971', Pakistan speaker's open support for Pahalgam mastermind sparks outrage
The gap between the Pakistani government and terrorist groups seems to be getting smaller after India's Operation Sindoor. A shocking example of this was seen recently when Malik Ahmed Khan, Speaker of the Punjab Assembly in Pakistan, was spotted attending a rally with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) deputy chief
Saifullah Kasuri
and
Talha Saeed
, son of LeT founder Hafiz Saeed.
As per a TOI report, Kasuri, a US-designated terrorist and one of the key planners behind the recent Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, was treated like a hero. When reporters asked Malik Ahmed Khan about his presence at the rally, he defended Kasuri by saying no one should be considered guilty without proper investigation. He also claimed a personal connection to Kasur, the town where the May 28 rally took place.
Lashkar leaders boast of 'revenge for 1971'
The presence of Talha Saeed and Kasuri at the rally came just days after videos started circulating of Lashkar terrorists celebrating what they called 'revenge' for Pakistan's defeat in the 1971 war against India.
In the videos, Kasuri is seen arriving at the rally with bodyguards carrying American M4 rifles, while flower petals are showered on him. He was even called the 'conqueror' of India by his supporters.
At one rally in Gujranwala on May 28, Muzammil Hashmi and others made hateful comments targeting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 'Modi, your missiles didn't scare our children. Why would your bullets scare us?' said Hashmi during the rally, which was hosted by the political wing of LeT, Pakistan Markazi Muslim League.
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'We took revenge for Bangladesh'
In another speech, Kasuri made emotional statements about the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. 'I was just four when Pakistan was broken apart in 1971. Indira Gandhi had said she drowned the two-nation theory. But on May 10, we took revenge,' he declared at a rally in Rahim Yar Khan.
Kasuri also talked about the Indian air strike on Muridke, which killed fellow terrorist Mudassar. He expressed pain at not being allowed to attend the funeral. 'I cried a lot that day,' he said.
Growing concerns over terror-politics nexus
These events have caused alarm internationally. As per a TOI report, experts believe this is yet another sign that certain Pakistani leaders are openly supporting extremist groups. With Lashkar terrorists making bold claims of violence and revenge, and top state officials sharing the stage with them, the line between state and terror is becoming dangerously unclear.
Inputs from TOI
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