
Pak Politician Backs Pahalgam Mastermind, Shares Stage With LeT Chief's Son
In what could be seen as yet another evidence of Islamabad fostering terrorism on its land, a prominent Pakistani politician was seen sharing the stage with the leadership of UN-proscribed terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The incident happened in Pakistan's Punjab province, where the state's assembly speaker, Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, was spotted attending a rally with LeT deputy chief Saifullah Ahmad and Talha Saeed, son of LeT chief and 26/11 Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed.
Saifullah Khalid, also known as "Kasuri," is one of the masterminds of the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam and a US-designated terrorist. Meanwhile, Talha Saeed is the de facto head of the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba.
When asked about his presence at the rally, the Speaker of the Punjab Assembly told reporters that LeT deputy chief Kasuri "should not be seen as an accused in the Pahalgam terror attack case without an investigation."
📍 #Exclusive 🇵🇰👹
Pakistan Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmed Khan defends Pahalgam mastermind Saifullah Kasuri and accuses India of being responsible for the Pahalgam terrorist attack
Note : On May -28, Pak politician Malik Ahmed Khan shared the stage with Talha Saeed,… pic.twitter.com/A87K6S1rlD
— OsintTV 📺 (@OsintTV) June 1, 2025
"It was a political rally, and politicians from all walks of life were present there. Because I have a personal connection with the place (Kasur--the town where the May 28 rally took place), organisers also called me and I went," he said.
Khan, a high-profile political figure in Pakistan, came under scrutiny after several video clips from the rally held on Wednesday (May 28) emerged on social media. In one of the footage, Talha Saeed was seen welcoming Malik Ahmad Khan on stage with other politicians.
Another clip showed Kasuri calling India an enemy state ("dushman") and claimed he was "wrongfully" accused as the mastermind of the Pahalgam terror attack. He boasted of becoming more famous after India's charges.
The event triggered security concerns among diplomatic circles, especially in India, where authorities are closely watching the development. LeT is a banned terror organisation, but the group and its affiliates continue to operate openly in Pakistan, often holding public gatherings under the guise of charity or nationalist causes. The presence of high-profile politicians at such gatherings continues to raise questions about Pakistan's commitment to fighting terrorism.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hans India
an hour ago
- Hans India
Intense talks continue to reach interim India-US trade deal ahead of deadline
New Delhi/Washington: As the US reciprocal tariffs deadline looms, hectic parleys are currently underway in Washington, DC, between officials of India and the US on finalising the proposed interim trade deal in the next couple of days. While New Delhi is seeking greater market access for its labour-intensive goods such as garments, footwear, and leather — which are major job creators — Washington wants duty concessions for its agricultural and daily products, according to officials. The Indian trade negotiators have extended their stay in US, signalling a last-minute push to iron out key differences. They have maintained that broader tariff cuts, especially on high-employment goods, are needed to reach the goal of doubling bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. The focus of the India-US interim trade deal has narrowed down to reciprocal tariff reductions or removals. India's negotiating team, led by Special Secretary Rajesh Agarwal, is engaged in high-level talks in Washington to conclude the bilateral trade agreement. Indian and US negotiators are aiming to finalise an interim trade deal ahead of the July 9 deadline that has been fixed by US President Donald Trump for the 90-day pause on new tariffs that were to be levied on Indian products. Negotiations are expected to continue after that for a bigger trade deal to be signed in September-October. However, as a quid pro quo, India is likely to press for improved access to the US market for seafood products like shrimp and fish, as well as spices, coffee, and rubber- segments where Indian exporters are globally competitive but face tariff competition in the American market, according to earlier reports. India has already started buying more oil and gas from the US to reduce the trade surplus and has offered to increase these purchases. India has proposed significant tariff reductions, potentially lowering average duties from 13 per cent to 4 per cent, in exchange for exemptions from US tariff hikes imposed during the Trump administration.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Israel-Iran war: Tel Aviv did not achieve all its aims, says report; did Netanyahu's gamble backfire?
AP photo A US-based magazine has described the recent 12-day Iran-Israel war as a "failed gamble" by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu . According to the Foreign Policy magazine, Israel did not achieve its stated objectives in the conflict and shattered the myth that Iran would collapse if attacked by another country. It further stated that though Netanyahu launched the war aiming to eliminate the Islamic Republic's strategic threat to his country, the conflict exposed the Jewish State's own vulnerabilities. The war resulted in strengthening Iranian nationalism and failed to destroy Tehran's core military or nuclear capabilities. The magazine also estimated that the war caused serious damage on both sides. For instance, despite Netanyahu's promise to dismantle Iran's missile and nuclear programmes with a hope to bring regime change, Tehran retaliated successfully by firing missiles at Israeli cities and strategic targets. Also, even after the United States entered the conflict, Iran escalated by attacking Al-Udeid airbase of the US in Qatar. Analysts suggests that this demonstration of force by Iran can help in strengthening its regional and diplomatic position. Iranian attacks were described as "precise and well-planned". Following Israel's strikes on Iran's South Pars oil refinery, the latter targeted the Haifa refinery in retaliation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Adidas Three Shorts With 60% Discount, Limited Stock Available Original Adidas Shop Now Undo Similarly, after Israeli attacks on its rival's research centres, Iran hit the Weizmann Institute. The retaliation was intended to demonstrate Iran's deterrence capability. Shortly, attacks on energy infrastructure ceased. Meanwhile, Israeli attacks targeting residential areas, media outlets, prisons and police stations were seen as a part of broader strategy to cause internal unrest in Iran. Civilian casualties has fuelled perceptions that the war aimed not at 'liberating' Iranians but at destabilizing the country. Internally, the war had serious social and political repercussion on Iran. However, instead of weakening the government, it became a rallying point that boosted nationalist sentiment. Many Iranians, including members of the younger generation, mobilized in defence of the country against what was widely seen as foreign aggression. Though fighting stopped, the underlying conflict remains unresolved. The US is no longer demanding that Iran completely shut it's nuclear programme down. Instead, it is willing to ease tensions through talks and economic offers. Iran, in turn, is keeping its nuclear program secretive to avoid any conflict. This practical approach might help calm things down for now, but it doesn't actually solve the main nuclear problem and it could make it even more dangerous in the future.


Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
After restoration due to ‘technical error', govt blocks Pak social media channels
Several Pakistani YouTube and Instagram accounts that had briefly become accessible in India were blocked again as the government cited 'technical error' for the restoration of social media accounts. The accounts had been blocked after the April 22 Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir which killed 26 tourists. (YouTube official website) The accounts had been blocked after the April 22 Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir which killed 26 tourists. According to officials familiar with the matter, the temporary visibility was due to a technical error that caused the accounts to be inadvertently unblocked. The officials added that the accounts are now in the process of being blocked once more. Earlier, blocked Instagram accounts of several Pakistani celebrities became visible in India on June 2. Also Read: Ban on Pakistan social media channels lifted? Many accounts, blocked after Pahalgam attack, 'accessible' in India However, on June 3, they were restricted again in India. The accounts included those of Saba Qamar, Mawra Hocane, Ahad Raza Mir, Hania Amir, Yumna Zaidi, and Danish Taimoor, among others. The message on their profile read: 'Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.' YouTube channels Dawn News Pakistan, Samaa TV, Irshad Bhatti, Ary News, Bol News, Geo News, Samaa Sports, GNN HD official, among others were banned by the government in an April 27 order. 'This content is currently unavailable in this country because of an order from the government related to national security or public order. For more details about government removal requests, please visit the Google Transparency Report ( stated the page of the blocked channels on YouTube. YouTube channels visible at the time of writing this article, and were previously banned, are Raftartv, ARY Digital HD, Har Pal Geo. The YouTube channels of former Pakistan cricketers Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Akhtar, and Rashid Latif were restored. On May 8, the ministry of information and broadcasting issued an advisory to OTT platforms, media streaming platforms and other media companies to stop carrying content on their respective platforms which has originated from Pakistan. Citing national security, the ministry asked platforms to 'discontinue the web-series, films, songs, podcasts and other streaming media content, whether made available on a subscription-based model or otherwise, having its origins in Pakistan with immediate effect.' Tensions between India and Pakistan rose after the Pahalgam terror attack. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targetting terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). On May 10, a ceasefire was called between both nations.