New Delhi: Counter-terrorism analysts have raised serious alarms following the open presence of high-ranking operatives from the proscribed terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) at the funeral service of former international cricketer Shoaib Akhtar’s brother.
Those who attended the funeral included close associates of 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed. The gathering was attended by Saifullah Kasuri, a prominent field commander within the militant network, alongside Inam Ur Rehman, the leader of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML).
Global intelligence agencies have long identified the PMML as a political facade engineered to bypass international sanctions and domestic bans imposed on LeT and its charitable wing, Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD).
The visible attendance of these sanctioned individuals at a prominent public event has reignited global scrutiny over the operational leeway granted to outlawed figures inside Pakistan. Video footage broadcasting from the venue showed the leaders circulating freely and conversing with regular mourners.
Compounding the controversy, subsequent video clips captured Kasuri claiming significant state access, asserting that official institutions had previously requested him to preside over high-profile funeral prayers.
These developments unfold amidst intensified regional vigilance, with security watchdogs tracking efforts by banned extremist groups to rehabilitate their public images through mainstream social participation.
Experts point out that the blatant public appearance of these blacklisted operatives highlights the persistent systemic difficulties in entirely dismantling insurgent networks, prompting renewed calls for robust counter-terrorism compliance.