A funeral ceremony for Shoaib Akhtar’s elder brother, Shahid Akhtar, in Islamabad has drawn attention due to the presence of senior members of the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The funeral, which took place at the H-8 graveyard in Islamabad, was attended by LeT’s deputy chief Saifullah Kasuri and several other individuals associated with the group. Shahid Akhtar passed away on June 24.
Videos from the funeral have gone viral on social media, showing Kasuri and other LeT members present at the funeral prayers. The presence of senior Lashkar functionaries at a public funeral has once again raised concerns over the operational space available to banned terrorist groups in Pakistan. Analysts say the incident underscores the influence of these groups within the country’s political and social landscape.
Among those spotted at the ceremony was Inam Ur Rehman, president of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), widely regarded as the political front of Lashkar-e-Taiba. The PMML was formed by UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed after his earlier organisations faced international and domestic sanctions. Kasuri has repeatedly made inflammatory anti-India statements and has been associated with provocative speeches.
Following the April terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 25 tourists, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and launched ‘Operation Sindoor’, targeting terrorist infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation reportedly destroyed several terror facilities, including Lashkar-e-Taiba’s headquarters in Muridke, besides striking military installations from Rawalpindi to Sukkur. The operation significantly disrupted the activities of Lashkar-e-Taiba and other Pakistan-based terror groups.
In a video that surfaced in February this year, Kasuri openly threatened India, claiming there would be no space left for the ‘enemy’ on land, air or sea. He also accused India of pursuing ‘water terrorism’, an apparent reference to New Delhi’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, and warned that increased pressure in Kashmir would be met with unrest elsewhere. Kasuri has also threatened India with another Mumbai-style terror strike through the sea route.
Shoaib Akhtar, who retired from international cricket in 2011, remains one of Pakistan’s most recognisable sporting figures and continues to work as a cricket commentator. The incident has sparked concerns over the continued visibility of members of proscribed terror organisations in Pakistan.
