New Delhi: A photograph featuring US-designated terrorist Saifullah Kasuri, accused of orchestrating the April 22 Pahalgam attack that claimed 26 lives in Jammu and Kashmir, embracing a Pakistani army officer has resurfaced online, reigniting questions over Pakistan's alleged support to terror groups.
The image, believed to be from April this year, has been widely circulated on X alongside other visuals of Kasuri with Pakistani security officials.
Have a look at it here:
Who Is Saifullah Kasuri?
Kasuri, also known as Khalid, is identified by Indian intelligence as a senior commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). He is considered to be a trusted aide of the group’s founder Hafiz Saeed and is suspected of directing infiltration across the Line of Control (LoC). Officials say he operates from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and oversees modules of The Resistance Front (TRF), a LeT proxy active in the Valley.
Reports also suggest that Kasuri has been central to multiple cross-border operations and has featured in past dossiers shared with international agencies. In one undated video, he claimed that Kashmir would become the “Land of Pure” by 2026. His prominence within LeT has led to his name surfacing repeatedly in intelligence assessments linking him to high-profile attacks.
The Pahalgam Attack and India’s Response
The April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam claimed 26 lives after gunmen in military fatigues identified victims by faith before opening fire at the popular Baisaran valley. TRF initially claimed responsibility on Telegram but later withdrew the statement following international backlash.
India retaliated with Operation Sindoor on May 7, conducting precision strikes on nine terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), reportedly eliminating over 100 militants.
Following India's retaliation, a similar picture surfaced on social media, wherein a top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander with memebers of the Paksitani Army, could be seen attending the funeral of the terrorists killed in the strike.
The picture was presented in a press briefing by India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. Have a look:
The strikes drew limited Pakistani retaliation before a ceasefire was agreed upon between the nations. While the US President Donald Trump first announced the news of a peace agreement on social media, India has denied any third-party involvement in the same.
Alongside the military response, India also suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, halted trade through the Attari-Wagah border, revoked Pakistani visas and lobbied for Islamabad’s return to the Financial Action Task Force grey list.
These measures also underscored India’s new approach of treating terror attacks from Pakistan as "acts of war", signalling a stringent security posture in the region.
