Lashkar, terror allies glorify Pak military op, threaten India at Karachi rally
In a concerning development that underscores the deepening nexus between Pakistan's military and radical Islamist elements, a series of orchestrated gatherings across Pakistan have been held to glorify the Pakistan Army's so-called "Operation Bunyan Marsoos" with extremist rhetoric flowing freely from the stage.Radical clerics and leaders from banned and controversial groups assembled under the umbrella of the Difa-e-Watan Council (DWC) -- an alliance known for hosting extremist ideologues -- to heap praise on the military's role in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor in Karachi on Tuesday evening.advertisementAmong the groups actively participating were Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat, both designated terror organisations.
These events, carefully choreographed to appear as spontaneous outpourings of national pride, were instead marked by incendiary speeches, veiled threats to India, and glorification of religious warfare.'ARMY OF MARTYRS, NOT SECULAR SOLDIERS'One of the most controversial figures to speak was Mufti Tariq Masood, a hardline cleric known for his inflammatory sermons.Praising the Pakistan Army's actions, Masood declared: "Our enemy calls our army a religious army and those who are traitors to the country call this army a secular army After winning this war, we came to know and became convinced that our army is not a secular army. It is an army that has the passion for martyrdom and sacrifices its life in the name of religion and Islam, in the name of Allah." advertisementHis remarks are seen as a dangerous conflation of state military action with religious extremism, suggesting the institutionalisation of jihadist ideology within the armed forces.Adding to the provocative narrative, Allama Rashid Mahmood Soomro, General Secretary of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Sindh), openly threatened India while reinforcing the clerical establishment's allegiance to the military: "My leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman challenged Modi from Minar-e-Pakistan Lahore... We told Modi that we like to have breakfast in India... we also like to hoist the flag of Pakistan over Delhi."He further boasted about Pakistan's supposed military feats, claiming that Pakistani forces had "destroyed the pride of Israel by shooting down Israeli drones."He also claimed that the Pakistani Army shot down Rafale jets and also destroyed the S-400 air system, built in Russia."By shooting down Rafale, we destroyed the blood of Europe by destroying S-400, it has also told Russia...you should think a hundred times before messing with Pakistan," he added. These fantastical and unverified claims have been dismissed by defence analysts as propaganda, but their wider impact on radicalising youth and promoting militancy remains a serious concern.ARMY'S QUIET ENDORSEMENT?While there has been no official statement from the Pakistan Army directly endorsing the DWC events, the absence of condemnation and the scale of coordination strongly suggest tacit approval. Intelligence sources indicate the gatherings were neither impeded nor monitored -- unlike civil society protests, which often face crackdowns.advertisementAnalysts warn that by allowing religious extremists to serve as mouthpieces for military operations, Pakistan risks further damaging its international image, alienating moderate voices, and entrenching violent ideologies within its borders.
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