New Delhi: The funeral of former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar’s elder brother, Shahid Akhtar, in Islamabad has come under scrutiny after senior members of Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), including its deputy chief Saifullah Kasuri, were seen attending last rites.
Shahid Akhtar passed away June 24 and was laid to rest at the H-8 graveyard in Islamabad. Videos from the funeral, which have since gone viral on social media, show Saifullah Kasuri and several other individuals associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba present at the funeral prayers.
Among those spotted at the ceremony were Inam Ur Rehman, president of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), widely regarded as the political front of Lashkar-e-Taiba. The PMML was formed by UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed after his earlier organisations, including Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Milli Muslim League (MML), faced international and domestic sanctions.
The presence of senior Lashkar functionaries at a public funeral has once again drawn attention to the continued visibility of members of proscribed terror organisations in Pakistan. Analysts say the incident underscores concerns over the operational space available to banned terrorist groups and their influence within the country’s political and social landscape.
Kasuri, the deputy chief of Lashkar-e-Taiba, has repeatedly made inflammatory anti-India statements and has been associated with provocative speeches following the April terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed lives of 25 tourists.
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Following the attack, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and launched ‘Operation Sindoor’, targeting terrorist infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation reportedly destroyed several terror facilities, including Lashkar-e-Taiba’s headquarters in Muridke, besides striking military installations from Rawalpindi to Sukkur.
The operation significantly disrupted the activities of Lashkar-e-Taiba and other Pakistan-based terror groups. However, since then, Kasuri has continued issuing threats against India, including warnings of another Mumbai-style terror strike through the sea route.
In a video that surfaced in February this year, Kasuri openly threatened India, claiming there would be no space left for the “enemy” on land, air or sea. He also accused India of pursuing “water terrorism”, an apparent reference to New Delhi’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, and warned that increased pressure in Kashmir would be met with unrest elsewhere.
Shoaib Akhtar, who retired from international cricket in 2011, remains one of Pakistan’s most recognisable sporting figures and continues to work as a cricket commentator, including for various international tournaments.
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