Latest news with #HafizAbdurRauf
Hindustan Times
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘Million Abdul Raufs in Pakistan': Ex-minister Hina Rabbani Khar exposed on live TV over terrorist's funeral photo
Hina Rabbani Khar, Pakistan's former foreign minister, faced an awkward moment on live TV when she tried to portray a designated terrorist as a "common man", only to be promptly fact-checked by the host. Former Pakistan foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar during her interview with Al Jazeera, where she was fact-checked over remarks dismissing a US-designated terrorist's identity in a viral funeral image.(AFP and a screengrab from 'X') In an interview with Al Jazeera, Hina Rabbani Khar was defending Pakistan's position on Hafiz Abdur Rauf, a US-sanctioned global terrorist seen leading the funeral procession of terrorists killed in India's Operation Sindoor on May 7. The journalist then presented a widely circulated photograph of Rauf, the same photo was part of key evidence in India's global outreach in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people. Trying to prove the claims as wrong, Khar insisted the man in the now-viral funeral image was not the Lashkar-e-Taiba-linked figure wanted by the US. She said, "There are a million Abdul Raufs in Pakistan." 'I am telling you, with authority, with evidence which has been shared with the whole world, that this is not the man that you (India) are claiming it to be. That is not the man you are claiming it to be,' she said, holding up the photo as part of her argument. Anchor counters with facts, ID match But the interview took a sharp turn when the news channel's anchor confronted her with evidence linking the man in the photo to the US-designated terrorist. The journalist said her and the Pakistan military's statements are different. 'They (Pakistan army) said that he's a member of a political party, and they released his national ID number. That ID number is the same one as on the US sanctions list. So, according to the US sanctions terrorist list, this man is a terrorist,' the journalist said, exposing the contradiction in Pakistan's narrative. Cornered by the evidence, Khar scrambled to draw a distinction between the individual defended by the Pakistani military and the person on the US blacklist. 'The Pakistani army is defending this man (in viral photo). The Pakistani army is not defending the person who is proscribed by the US,' she argued. However, the interviewer immediately pointed out that the identity card released by Pakistan's own army matched the ID number listed on the US sanctions list—leaving little room for denial. ISPR's details match US database After India's operation on Pakistan's terror hubs, at a press conference in May, Pakistan's Director General ISPR Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry had confirmed the man seen in the funeral video is named Hafiz Abdur Rauf. 'This man is Hafiz Abdur Rauf, who is leading the prayers. He has three daughters, a son, and he was born in March 1973. You can see his family details and everything,' Chaudhry said. Also Read | Who is Hafiz Abdul Rauf, man leading funeral of terrorists killed in Operation Sindoor? While he described the man as an ordinary Pakistani, the ID number and personal details presented by ISPR match those listed in the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions database. India cited the development as further proof of the nexus between Pakistan's state agencies and internationally sanctioned terrorist groups. A statement from India's Press Information Bureau at that time, said, 'The identity details shared by DG ISPR completely overlap with the details of Hafiz Abdur Rauf, a member of LeT's senior leadership since at least 1999 and part of the US Sanctions List.' Top officials attend funeral of slain terrorists Rauf, a close aide of 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed, is also the former head of the Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), an LeT front organisation banned in several countries. The funeral was held at the Lashkar-e-Taiba headquarters in Muridke, Punjab. Photographs and video footage show senior Pakistani police and military officials in attendance. A ceremonial wreath was sent by Punjab chief minister Maryam Nawaz, the niece of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Rauf is listed under various aliases and addresses in the OFAC database, including locations across Lahore such as 4 Lake Road, Choburji Dola Khurd, Jinnah Block, and Chamberlain Road. He held Pakistani passports CM1074131 and A7523531, issued in 2008 and expired in 2013 — details that further confirm his identity as per international records.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Who is Hafiz Abdur Rauf? Man leading funeral of terrorists killed in Operation Sindoor
Hafiz Abdur Rauf NEW DELHI: Hafiz Abdur Rauf , who led the funeral of terrorists killed in the May 7 " Operation Sindoor ," has been called out as a "common man." As soon as the pictures of him being present at the funerals went out, the Pakistani army called him a "common man." Pakistan's top official, DG ISPR Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, during a press conference, shared Rauf's details, including his national ID number, birth date, and family information. "This man is Hafiz Abdur Rauf, who is actually leading the prayers. He has three daughters, son and he was born in March 1973. You can see his family details and everything," Chaudhry had said in a presentation during a press conference on Sunday in which he had shown Rauf's details. Chaudhary also claimed that Abdul Rauf was a preacher and a member of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML) party. Press Information Bureau's fact-check unit exposed Pakistan's another lie and said that the identity details shared by DG ISPR completely overlap with the details of Hafiz Abdur Rauf, a member of LeT's senior leadership since at least 1999 and part of the US sanctions list . Who is Hafiz Abdur Rauf? Hafiz Abdul Rauf is a 'specially designated global terrorist ' (SDGT) by the US department of treasury and is also on the SDN (Specially Designated Nationals) list of the US government. According to the US treasury department, Hafiz Abdul Rauf, a member of LeT's senior leadership since 1999, is the chief of Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation , operating LeT's relief activities in disguise. Earlier, India had pointed out Pakistan's connection to terrorism, citing a viral image of Rauf leading funeral prayers for LeT militants killed during Operation Sindoor, attended by senior Pakistani officials, with a wreath from Maryam Nawaz, Pakistan's Punjab's chief minister and prime minister Shehbaz Sharif's niece.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Pakistan calls US-designated terrorist Hafiz Abdur Rauf, who led funeral of terrorists killed by India, 'a common family man'
Pakistan's military has denied claims that Hafiz Abdur Rauf , a US-designated terrorist, led the funeral of militants killed in recent Indian airstrikes as a terrorist. Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR), said Rauf is a religious figure and 'a common family man.' #Operation Sindoor The damage done at Pak bases as India strikes to avenge Pahalgam Why Pakistan pleaded to end hostilities Kashmir's Pahalgam sparks Karachi's nightmare The statement came after images from the funeral in Muridke, near Lahore, showed Rauf surrounded by high-ranking Pakistan Army officers. This led to questions about the involvement of a globally sanctioned individual in a formal ceremony conducted with military protocol. Pak military shares identity card details To support its claim, the Pakistani military showed what it said was Rauf's National Identity Card, which listed him as an official of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML) and the head of its welfare wing. However, the details released — including his CNIC number (35202-5400413-9) and date of birth (March 25, 1973) — match the records on the US Treasury Department's sanctions list. Who is Hafiz Abdur Rauf? Rauf is a known senior member of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a group responsible for multiple terror attacks , and headed Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), LeT's charity front now banned. Both LeT and FIF are designated as terrorist organisations by the US and the United Nations. Over the years, Rauf has held several positions in LeT. The US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said he worked as Director of Public Service in 2003 and as Director of Humanitarian Relief in 2008. He was also in charge of LeT's charitable wings, Idara Khidmat-e-Khalq (IKK) and later FIF. Live Events Indian strikes hit terror facilities across PoK and Pakistan Operation Sindoor targeted multiple sites across Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir and Pakistan. Locations hit in PoK included Sawal Nala, Syedna Bilal, Gulpur, Barnala, and Abbas. In Pakistan, the strikes were carried out in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sarjal, and Mehmoona Joya. 21 terror installations identified According to the Ministry of Defence, Indian forces had identified 21 active terror installations before the operation. These included facilities in Sawal Nala, Syedna Bilal, Maskar-e-Aqsa, Chelabandi, Abdullah bin Masood, Dulai, Garhi Habibullah, Batrasi, Balakot, Oghi, Boi, Sensa, Gulpur, Kotli, Barali, Dungi, Barnala, Mehmoona Joya, Sarjal, Muridke, and Bahawalpur. Key militants killed in India's precision strikes in Pakistan The operation led to the elimination of several high-profile militants. Khalid Abu Akasha, a trained Lashkar-e-Taiba operative, was among them. He was known for moving weapons from Afghanistan to Pakistan and had been working at LeT's central unit in Muridke. He had links with senior LeT members including Yahya Mujahid, Qari Yakub Sheikh, and Abdul Rehman. Another figure killed was Mudassir Khadian Khas, who managed the Muridke camp. He worked closely with Hafiz Abdur Rauf and served as his security head. He also had links to PMML's General Secretary, Hafiz Khalid Waleed, and was related to LeT founder Hafiz Saeed. In Syedna Bilal camp, Indian forces eliminated Mohammad Hassan Khan, son of JeM commander Mufti Asghar Khan Kashmiri. Khan had been part of the 2019 Pulwama attack and took part in key meetings in Islamabad. In Bahawalpur, Hafiz Muhammed Jameel was killed. He was JeM founder Masood Azhar's brother-in-law and held a senior leadership role. As per the defence ministry, he supervised operations, recruited youth from PoK, and helped collect funds for the group. Pakistan Gave State Funeral for Terrorist The funeral, held on May 8, was not a low-profile event. Images showed coffins wrapped in the national flag, military officers standing behind Rauf, and state security at the site. According to news agency IANS, officers present included Lt Gen Fayyaz Hussain Shah, Maj Gen Rao Imran Sartaj, Brig Mohammad Furqan Shabbir, Punjab Inspector General of Police Dr Usman Anwar, and provincial MLA Malik Sohaib Ahmed Bherth. 'They claim that only civilians were killed in the strikes on the 7th of May. We have made the point very clearly that all attacks on the morning of 7th May were against carefully selected terrorist infrastructure, terrorist targets,' Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said at a press briefing in New Delhi. Abdul Rauf Azhar: History of terror links Though Pakistani officials tried to shift focus by comparing Rauf to Abdul Rauf Azhar — the brother of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar — their records differ. Abdur Rauf has been active in LeT's propaganda and financial arms since the early 2000s. He publicly supported LeT-affiliated organisations even after Pakistan banned them. In 2009, he led FIF's fundraising visit to Bajaur, where LeT operated both relief and recruitment efforts. The United States sanctioned him and FIF in 2010 following information from Indian intelligence after the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The UN Sanctions Committee also lists both FIF and LeT, along with LeT founder Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, as terror-linked entities. Despite these international sanctions, Rauf continues to operate publicly in Pakistan.
Hindustan Times
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Who is Hafiz Abdul Rauf, man leading funeral of terrorists killed in Operation Sindoor?
In an attempt to downplay a notorious terrorist's profile and portray him as a "common man", Pakistan inadvertently confirmed the identity and presence of Hafiz Abdul Rauf, a US-designated terrorist and senior Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative, on its soil. At a press conference, Pakistan's Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, attempted to portray Rauf as a common man with "three daughters, son" who had led the prayers of terrorists killed at the Lashkar-e-Taiba headquarters in Mudrike, Pakistan's Punjab, during India's Operation Sindoor. "This man is Hafiz Abdur Rauf, who is leading the prayers. He has three daughters, a son, and he was born in March 1973. You can see his family details and everything," Chaudhry had said in a presentation during a press conference on Sunday, in which he had shown Rauf's details. India flags terrorist Hafiz Abdur Rauf's identity India was quick to respond and pointed out the nexus of the Pakistani state and terrorists operating on its soil when it flashed the photograph of Rauf leading the funeral prayers of slain terrorists. "The identity details shared by DG ISPR completely overlap with the details of Hafiz Abdur Rauf, a member of LeT's senior leadership since at least 1999 and part of the US Sanctions List," a statement from the Press Information Bureau said on Monday. Hafiz Abdur Rauf, a US-designated terrorist, has been an active member of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) since 1999 and the chief of the banned Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF). He is believed to be a close associate of the November 2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind, Hafiz Saeed. The funeral ceremony of terrorists was attended by senior Pakistani military and police officials, and even featured a wreath from Pakistan's Punjab chief minister, Maryam Nawaz, who is also Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's niece. The US sanctions database paints a more complete picture of Rauf's footprint in Pakistan. Listed under multiple aliases, Rauf is linked to several addresses across Lahore, including 4 Lake Road, Choburji Dola Khurd, Jinnah Block, and Chamberlain Road. He also held Pakistani passports CM1074131 and A7523531, issued in 2008 and expired in 2013. These details match the details about Rauf given in the database of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Treasury Department, which maintains a list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons list ("SDN List"). With PTI inputs
News18
12-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
'Innocent Man?' PIB Fact Check Exposes Pakistan's False Claim About LeT's Hafiz Abdur Rauf
Last Updated: Rauf was seen in a viral video leading funeral prayers for LeT operatives killed during precision Indian strikes under Operation Sindoor on May 7 The Fact Check Unit of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) on Monday dismissed Pakistan's claim that Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leader Hafiz Abdul Rauf, a US-designated global terrorist, is an 'innocent man." In a post on X titled 'Calling Out Pakistan's Bluff", PIB said Pakistan's Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) had wrongly claimed that Rauf, a senior LeT leader, was just a 'common man." 'Pakistan's DG ISPR claims that LeT terrorist Hafiz Abdur Rauf is an 'Innocent Man'. DG ISPR's 'COMMON MAN" is a Globally Sanctioned Terrorist – clearly visible in the viral terrorist funeral picture," the PIB fact check team wrote. The post added that the identity shared by Pakistan's military matches that of Rauf, who has been part of LeT's senior leadership since at least 1999. 'The identity details shared by DG ISPR is identical to the details of Hafiz Abdur Rauf, a member of LeT's senior leadership since at least 1999 and part of the US Sanctions List," it stated. This comes after Rauf was seen in a viral video leading funeral prayers for LeT operatives killed during precision Indian strikes under Operation Sindoor on May 7. These strikes were carried out to avenge the killing of Indian tourists in Pahalgam by Pakistan-backed terrorists. The video, posted by New York Times columnist Taha Siddiqui, shows Rauf at the funeral alongside other LeT members. Right after the prayers, the crowd can be heard shouting 'Al Jihad, Al Jihad." Rauf has long been associated with Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), the front organisation of LeT. Though not related by blood to LeT founder Hafiz Saeed, Rauf has worked closely with him for decades and is part of his core ideological and operational group. The Indian Army, in a press briefing on Sunday, named several Pakistani Army officials who attended the funeral alongside Rauf. Rauf has been designated under UNSC 1267 sanctions, and the US Treasury Department lists him as a key LeT operative. During public events and funerals of LeT operatives, he is often seen in ceremonial or spiritual roles, to present a 'clerical" appearance, though he deep links to the terror group's activities. First Published:
