A Pakistani leader’s remarks at an event linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba have triggered fresh scrutiny of Islamabad’s ties with terror groups. Shahir Sialvi claimed that the Pakistan Army fought against India during Operation Sindoor to protect designated terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar, after India targeted their infrastructure following the Pahalgam terror attack.
He also said that India had struck locations in Muridke and Bahawalpur, where several terrorists were killed. He further claimed that after the strikes, Pakistan portrayed those killed as freedom fighters rather than terrorists.
“Woh chahe Hafeez Saeed sahab ke mujahideen ho, Maulana Masood Azhar sahab ke mujahideen ho, ya phir Syed Salahuddin sahab ke log ho, in logon ko state own kare. Agar Che Guevara, Fidel Castro, Nelson Mandela, Subhash Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh ko duniya freedom fighters kehti hai, toh hamare logon ko sirf is wajah se ki unki daadhi hai, aap unhe deshatgard maan lete hain, agar duniya aisa bole toh,” he said.
“Aap international pressure ke wajah se ghulami mein chale jaate hain. Jab bhi meri Hafeez Saeed sahab se mulakat hui, maine kaha ki party apni hai, lekin hum aapke hain kyunki aap hamari jang lad rahe hain. Yeh pehli baar aisa hua ki jab Muridke aur Bahawalpur par attack hua - jin jagahon ko Bharat pehle hi international level par deshatgard declare kar chuka hai aur duniya ko apne narrative par mana chuka hai - tab Pakistan fauj ne faisla kiya ki in logon ke janaze aur inke bachchon ke janaze koi bahar se aaya hua aalim ya mufti nahi padhayega, balki fauj wale padhayenge, aur inki mayyat ko fauji apni wardi mein uthayenge,” he added.
“Yeh batane ke liye ki woh freedom fighters hain, terrorists nahi. Pehli baar aisa hua ki yeh jang humne ladi, toh Hafiz Saeed aur Maulana Masood Azhar ke peeche ladi, aur duniya ko yeh bataya ki they are freedom fighters,” he further said.
Sialvi’s remarks come days ahead of the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor and, if verified, could deepen India’s long-standing allegations that Pakistan’s military establishment supports terror outfits operating from its soil.
