‘Don’t call him accused...’ Pakistan Punjab speaker openly defends LeT deputy linked to Pahalgam attack
Islamabad: Pakistan’s Punjab assembly speaker, Malik Ahmed Khan, has come under fire for publicly defending Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) deputy chief Saifullah Kasuri — a US-designated terrorist linked to the recent Pahalgam terror attack in India.
According to Times of India, speaking at a rally in Kasur on 28 May, Khan dismissed the allegations against Kasuri, claiming that the LeT leader should not be labelled an accused “without investigation”.
Khan’s remarks came during a public event that also saw the presence of Talha Saeed, son of LeT chief Hafiz Saeed. Video footage from the rally showed Kasuri flanked by armed guards carrying American M4 carbines, being hailed as the "conqueror of India" while flower petals were showered on him.
Kasuri, along with another US-sanctioned terrorist Muzammil Hashmi, used the occasion to boast about orchestrating protests in Bangladesh against Sheikh Hasina and claimed credit for their alleged role in forcing her into exile — a claim not corroborated by independent reports.
The LeT leaders declared that their actions were retribution for the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, in which India had played a decisive role. “We took revenge for 1971,” Kasuri declared, referencing a statement made by Indira Gandhi after Pakistan's defeat in that war. He also expressed grief at being barred from attending the funeral of fellow terrorist Mudassar, who was killed in an Indian airstrike on Muridke.
Hashmi, speaking at another LeT-affiliated rally in Gujranwala, launched a vitriolic attack on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that “our children are not scared of your missiles, why would we fear your bullets?”
The events have further eroded the perceived line between elements of the Pakistani state and designated terror groups, especially in the wake of India’s Operation Sindoor. With LeT’s political wing openly organising rallies and state-level politicians offering support, concerns over Pakistan's tacit support for terror proxies continue to mount on the international stage.