Terror Mastermind Behind Pahalgam Attack Spotted at Public Rally in Pakistan
New Delhi: In a development that has sparked outrage and raised serious security concerns, several videos have emerged online showing Saifullah Kasuri, the alleged mastermind of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, openly addressing a rally in Pakistan’s Punjab province.
The event, organised by the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML) to mark Youm-e-Takbeer—the annual celebration of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program—featured not only Kasuri but also Talha Saeed, son of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed and a designated terrorist under Indian law.
Indian intelligence agencies have strongly indicated Kasuri’s role in orchestrating the brutal Pahalgam terror strike, which left 26 civilians dead, most of them Hindus, in one of the deadliest attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in recent years.
In his public address, Kasuri announced plans to construct a hospital, road, and a centre in Allahabad in memory of Mudassir Shaheed, a high-profile terrorist reportedly killed in the Indian Air Force’s May 7 precision strikes on nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The rally has further exposed the glaring contradiction in Pakistan’s stance on terrorism. While Lashkar-e-Taiba is officially banned, its top commanders and affiliates continue to operate freely, hold public gatherings, and share stages with mainstream political figures, all while raising anti-India slogans.
The incident has sparked criticism from Indian security experts, who view the public presence of such individuals as clear evidence of Pakistan’s state complicity or negligence in curbing terrorism emanating from its soil.
Diplomatic fallout is expected to intensify, as India is likely to raise the matter in international forums, highlighting yet again the challenge of cross-border terrorism and the need for greater accountability from Islamabad.
