Latest news with #AbdulRauf
New Indian Express
13-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
India has avenged my friend Daniel Pearl's killing in Bahawalpur
I still remember the chill I felt when I first heard of Bahawalpur. It was late January 2002. My dear friend and colleague, Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, had just left a home I had rented on Zamzama Street in Karachi for an interview from which he never returned. We soon learned terrorists in Pakistan had kidnapped Danny. As we tried to trace Danny's steps, one name kept surfacing: the dusty city of Bahawalpur. In the days that followed, we learned terrorists had murdered Danny, brutally beheading him and cutting him into pieces. Twenty-three years have passed, but the chain of events that led to Danny's murder continues to haunt us—and it runs straight through Bahawalpur. This week, India's Operation Sindoor launched an airstrike on Bahawalpur and other terrorist targets, killing terrorist chief Abdul Rauf Azhar. To be clear, Abdul Rauf did not kidnap or murder Danny. But in 1999, he masterminded the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight 814, which forced India to release three terrorists - including his brother, Masood Azhar, and a British Pakistani, Omar Sheikh, who would go on to lure Danny into captivity. Another brother, Ibrahim Azhar, was a hijacker on Flight 814. Abdul Rauf opened the prison door that allowed a kidnapper to walk free. His killing is a reminder that those who enable terror must answer for their actions. Bahawalpur, where Abdul Rauf enjoyed a safe haven, is more than just a city. Since the 1990s, it has been a hub for a state-sponsored terrorism industry that has enabled global violence—killing innocents in India, Pakistan and around the world. It's where the story of Danny's murder began.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Operation Sindoor on Pakistani Terror: 'This is the narrative the world should know', says Ranveer Allahbadia on Piers Morgan Uncensored
Indian podcaster Ranveer Allahabadia , better known by his nom de plume Beer Biceps Guy, made a passionate case for India's counter-terror operation, Operation Sindoor , during an appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored , calling out Pakistan's long-standing terror complicity. Holding up an image of Osama bin Laden, Allahabadia asked viewers to confront a reality long buried under diplomacy and denial. 'I hope everyone's able to see this person's face. He was found 800 metres from a military base in Pakistan. That's the face that the world recognises.' Next, he held up an image of Abdul Rauf and added: 'This is the face that India recognises because it's most specific to our narrative. This man is a UN-designated terrorist being celebrated by the Pakistani military in the background. That's not the narrative that they give the Pakistanis. That's not the narrative that the world knows. But if you check with the UN, if you check with the US, they'll tell you that this is Abdul Rauf.' Defending India's right to self-defence, Allahabadia went on: 'India's attacks were precision-oriented, moderate, and most importantly, they were simply a retaliation as they've always been. India has never been an aggressor in any of these situations. We export vaccines, we export philosophy, and we export engineers and leaders to the world. That's why our economy is 11 times the size of Pakistan's. But the Pakistani narrative is that, hey, look at these people. They're trying to get the world to sympathise with them.' Who is Abdul Rauf? Pakistan had claimed that the man leading the prayers was Abdul Rauf (circled), a preacher and member of Pakistan Markazi Muslim League. But it turns out that he was actually Hafiz Abdul Rauf — a 'specially designated global terrorist' by the US who is also on SDN (Specially Designated Nationals) list of the US govt (AFP photo) Abdul Rauf Asghar is a senior commander of the Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and the younger brother of its founder, Masood Azhar. A UN-designated terrorist, Abdul Rauf has been linked to some of the most audacious attacks on Indian soil, including the 2001 Indian Parliament attack and the 2016 Pathankot Airbase assault. Widely believed to be the operational head of JeM, he has also been sanctioned by the United States Treasury Department under terrorism-related provisions. Despite these international designations, he continues to live openly in Pakistan, with credible reports placing him at public rallies and fundraising events. His presence and protection by elements of the Pakistani state have long been cited as evidence of the country's complicity in harbouring terrorism. As Ranveer Allahabadia pointed out in his appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored, 'This man is a UN-designated terrorist being celebrated by the Pakistani military in the background'—a reality that India has consistently tried to highlight to the global community. Pak and Terror: An Internecine Love Affair Pakistan's entanglement with terrorism isn't a bug in its foreign policy—it is the feature. From the mujahideen of the 1980s, whom the ISI trained with CIA funds, to the post-9/11 double game where the same agencies harboured and hunted terrorists based on convenience, the pattern is unmistakable. Terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and the Haqqani Network were not rogue elements but strategic assets—used to bleed India, influence Afghanistan, and maintain leverage with the West. The ISI's doctrine of 'strategic depth' created a hydra of non-state actors that now even threatens Pakistan's own stability. And yet, successive governments in Islamabad have worn their duplicity like a badge of honour, calibrating violence while pleading innocence on the world stage. In no other nation has the line between statecraft and sabotage blurred so thoroughly.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Pakistan's ‘innocent preacher' is actually a global terrorist
Pakistan had claimed that the man leading the prayers was Abdul Rauf (circled), a preacher and member of Pakistan Markazi Muslim League. But it turns out that he was actually Hafiz Abdul Rauf — a 'specially designated global terrorist' by the US who is also on SDN (Specially Designated Nationals) list of the US govt (AFP photo) Pakistan's misinformation campaign was exposed yet again after its claim that the man leading funeral prayers for terrorists was an innocent preacher turned out to be blatant lie and the man in question was identified as a designated global terrorist . During a press conference, Pakistan's DG-ISPR (Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations) had flashed the national ID card of a man with a similar name, Abdul Rauf, claiming that he was a preacher and a member of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML) party. However, details from the same bio-data exposed the intricate web of misinformation spun by the ISI. It turned out that Abdul Rauf was not a preacher or Masood Azhar's slain brother with the same name but a different individual with ties to Lashkar-eTaiba. The man, Hafiz Abdul Rauf , is a 'specially designated global terrorist' (SDGT) by the US department of treasury and is also on the SDN (Specially Designated Nationals) list of the US government. Pakistan's lies were busted from their computerised national identity card (CNIC) number visible in the document flashed by DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif. The number 35202-5400413-9 on the document is the same as the one listed by the US treasury and the Office of Foreign Assets Control which incidentally also lists Lt Gen Sharif's father, Mahmood Sultan Bashiruddin, as a designated terrorist with ties to al-Qaida. In the press conference held by DG ISPR during Operation Sidoor, a Pakistan Air Force officer also claimed to have shown 'tactical brilliance' in Pulwama, which is being interpreted as an acknowledgement of the Pakistani military's role in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 CRPF personnel. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Invest $200 in Amazon without buying stocks to earn a second salary Marketsall Sign Up Undo They then went on to allege that India's claims of Abdul Rauf being a terrorist were not true. Incidentally, the same photograph of Abdul Rauf at the burial was used by India to identify and release the names of senior Pakistan army personnel and key police officials who attended the funeral of terrorists — including high-ranking officers such as Lt Gen Fayyaz Hussain Shah and Inspector General of Police Usman Anwar. According to the US treasury department, Hafiz Abdul Rauf, a member of LeT's senior leadership since 1999, is the chief of Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation, operating LeT's relief activities in disguise.
Mint
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
India-Pakistan conflict: ‘Mitti mein mila do…' PM's stern message to Islamabad, DGMO-level talks today
In the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, India informed several world capitals—including the United States—that its punitive actions against terror camps based in Pakistan should leave no room for doubt, government sources told PTI on Sunday. Following the launch of Operation Sindoor on May 7, India also conveyed that any future military provocation from Pakistan would be met with a stronger and more decisive response, the sources added. 1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, ''Inko mitti mein mila do'; Markaz has been ground to dust, others are next in line,' say sources referring to terror groups, sources told PTI referring to terror groups. "Wahan se goli chalegi, toh yahan se gola chalega (If they fire bullets, we will respond with cannons)," one of the sources quoted PM Modi as saying following the Pakistani actions, PTI reported. 2. Meanwhile, The Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan are set to hold discussions today, following last week's ceasefire agreement between the two nuclear-armed countries amid escalating tensions. Earlier on Sunday, India disclosed the names of Pakistani officials who attended the funeral of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Abdul Rauf, who was killed during Operation Sindoor. According to the Ministry of Defence, the funeral took place in Muridke, Pakistan. Abdul Rauf, a designated Global Terrorist by the U.S. Treasury, was a senior LeT commander. 3. Senior leadership of the Pakistan Army, along with the Inspector General of Police for Pakistan's Punjab province, were seen attending the funeral and offering prayers for slain LeT commander Abdul Rauf. Those present included Lt Gen Fayyaz Hussain, Major General Rao Imran, Brigadier Mohammad Furqan from the Administration Wing, Punjab legislator Usman Anwar, and Malik Sohaib Ahmed. 4. Border Security Forces Constable Deepak Chingakham succumbed to injuries sustained in cross-border firing by the Pakistan Rangers in RS Pura, Jammu division, during the intervening night of May 9 and 10. DG BSF and All Ranks paid condolences to Deepak Chingakham. "DG BSF and All Ranks salute the supreme sacrifice made by Constable Deepak Chingakham in the line of duty. He was injured in cross border fire by Pakistan on 10th May 2025 along the International Boundary in the R S Pura area, Jammu. He succumbed to his injuries today, on 11th May 2025," BSF said in a post on X. 5. A top IAF officer on Sunday said whatever methods and means the Indian armed forces chose during Operation Sindoor had the "desired effect" on enemy targets, the objective of "decimating terror camps" was achieved and "all our pilots are back home". "We carefully selected the targets and out of the nine selected targets, the target systems that were given to the IAF were the notorious training camps at Bahawalpur and Muridke," he said. 6. Michael Kugelman, US-based Foreign Policy author and expert Specialising in South Asia, while talking about the India-Pakistan tensions, said that the developments were quick, and the ceasefire was sudden and remarkable. Kugelman, while speaking to ANI, said that the tensions between India and Pakistan were at its lowest in decades, and the ceasefire has de-escalated things, ANI reported. "Well, it's been quite a week, given how we saw such a major escalation in tensions so quickly over the last few days and then for there to be this very sudden ceasefire that appeared to come out of nowhere. It really is quite remarkable. I think that the India, Pakistan relations were at one of their lowest points in a number of decades, and they were closer to going to war than at any time since the cargo crisis," he said. 7. PTI reported citinggovernment sources said on Sunday that Pakistan sought a halt to hostilities and "sued for peace" after realizing India was serious—especially following the destruction of eight of its air bases. There was no need for a third-party intervention and, in fact, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to convey that the Pakistanis got the message after being hammered by Indian missiles, they said. 8. Former Jammu and Kashmir (J-K) Director General of Police (DGP) SP Vaid on Sunday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a "free hand" to the armed forces to retaliate against Pakistan's shelling and other misadventures. 9. "Operation Sindoor was started to fight against terrorism. The operation will be continued and we will hit wherever they (terrorists) Sindoor is on and this is a powerful message...A free hand has been given by PM Modi to the armed forces and to retaliate with full force," former DGP Vaid told ANI. 'Inko mitti mein mila do'; Markaz has been ground to dust, others are next in line. 10. The DGMO warned that India has exercised immense restraint while focusing only on non-escalatory actions. Any threat to the country's sovereignty would be met with decisive force,ANI reported.
India Gazette
12-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Top brass of Pak Army, police offer prayers at LeT terrorists' 'funeral' slain in Op Sindoor
New Delhi [India], May 12 (ANI): India released the names of Pakistani officials present at the funeral of LeT terrorist Abdul Rauf, who was killed in Operation Sindoor. Funeral of killed terrorists in Muridke, like LeT Commander Abdul Rauf, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by US Treasury, was carried out in Pakistan, according to the Ministry of Defence. The top brass of Pakistan Army and Inspector General of Police in Pakistan's Punjab were seen attending the funeral and offering prayers. It was attended by- Lt Gen Fayyaz Hussain, Major General Rao Imran, Brigadier Mohd Furqan from Administration, Usman Anwar Pakistan Punjab Legislator and Malik Sohaib Ahmed. Operation Sindoor targeted a total of nine terror camps in PoJK and Pakistan. In PoJK, Sawal Nala, Syedna Bilal, Gulpur, Barnala, and Abbas were targeted. In Pakistan, Bhawalpur, Muridke, Sarjal, Mehmoona Joya were targeted. As per the Ministry of Defence, there are 21 terrorist camps identified in Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan- Sawal Nala, Syed na Bilal, Maskar-e-Aqsa, Chelabandi, Abdullah bin Masood, Dulai, Garhi Habibullah, Batrasi, Balakot, Oghi, Boi, Sensa, Gulpur, Kotli, Barali, Dungi, Barnala, Mehmoona Joya, Sarjal, Mudrike and Bahawalpur. India neutralized terrorists in Muridke in Bahawalpur. Khalid Abu Akasha, a terrorist killed on May 7 was involved in smuggling of arms, ammunition from Afghanistan to Pakistan while based in Peshawar. Trained LeT terrorist who operated in J&K and exfiltrated back. He recently shifted to LeT headquarters in Muridke and was part of Central Committee of LeT. He worked closely with Central LeT/ JuD entities: Yahya Mujahid, Qari Yakub Sheikh, Abdul Rehman, Khalid Waleed, Engineer Haris Dar and Abdul Rehman Abid, the Ministry of Defence stated. Mudassir Khadian Khas, another terrorist LeT Operative and in-charge of Muridke Terrorist Camp worked with Hafiz Abdul Rauf, the Chairman of the Al Khidmat Committee, as his Security in Charge. He also worked with Hafiz Khalid Waleed, the General Secretary PMML, Lahore. He is the son-in-law of Hafiz Mohammad Saeed. Khas was a close associate of Saifullah Khalid Kasuri (LeT Deputy Chief), who had recruited him. Mohammad Hassan Khan, another terrorist targeted during Operation Sindoor, was the son of Mufti Asghar Khan Kashmiri (JeM Operational Commander, Amir, POJK). He used to operate from Syedna Bilal terrorist camp with Mufti Asghar Khan Kashmiri (Amir, JeM PoJK) and Ashiq Negroo (JeM Indian Fugitive) and was involved in Pulwama Attack of 2019. He used to accompany Asghar Khan Kashmiri to Islamabad to attend Shura Meetings. He also coordinated with Shakargarh-based JeM operative, viz Mohammad Adnan Ali, Ali Kashif Jaan and Mohammad Yasir. Hafiz Muhammed Jameel, another terrorist was the eldest brother-in-law and advisor of JeM Chief Maulana Masood Azhar. He was the overall in-charge of JeM headquarters at Bahawalpur. Jameel was a Shura member of JeM and a close confidante, or family member of Masood Azhar. Used to oversee terrorist operations organised from Bahawalpur. He visited PoJK to motivate youth to join Jihad against India and raising funds for JeM, said the Ministry of Defence. As India targeted the terror groups during Operation Sindoor in precise operations, Pakistan damaged a Gurudwara and Madarasa at Poonch. The Operation displayed India's air defence preparedness. The defence ministry showed destroyed Pakistani drones at Ramnagar, Naushera and Miran Sahib. Meanwhile, India insisted on direct communication between the Director General of Military Operations (DGMOs), rejecting any third-party assurances or back-channel negotiations, reflecting its commitment to resolving conflicts through established military channels, according to the sources. The escalation between India and Pakistan intensified after Pakistan launched drone attacks targeting Indian sites, prompting a swift and forceful response from India. India's Operation Sindoor is seen as a 'new normal' in counter-terrorism, signalling that any hostile action from Pakistan would be met with a decisive and precise response. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on May 8 that Pahalgam terror attack was 'original escalation' by Pakistan and India responded in 'controlled, precise, measured, considered and non-escalatory' manner through precise strikes on terror infrastructure early on Wednesday. (ANI)
