The funeral of former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar’s elder brother has come under the spotlight after videos circulating on social media showed senior leaders of the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), including its deputy chief Saifullah Kasuri, attending the burial in Islamabad.
The visuals have renewed attention on the public presence of members linked to banned terrorist organisations in Pakistan. The footage has also revived concerns over the space available to such groups despite international sanctions.
Shahid Akhtar died on June 24 and was buried at Islamabad’s H-8 graveyard. Videos from the funeral prayers, which have gone viral online, purportedly show Kasuri along with several other individuals associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba attending the ceremony.
Also present was Inam Ur Rehman, president of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML). The party is widely regarded as the political front of Lashkar-e-Taiba. PMML was formed by UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed after organisations linked to him, including Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Milli Muslim League (MML), faced international as well as domestic sanctions.
Who is Saifullah Kasuri?
Kasuri serves as deputy chief of Lashkar-e-Taiba and has frequently made anti-India statements. According to IANS, he has also delivered provocative speeches following the April terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 25 tourists.
After the attack, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and launched Operation Sindoor. New Delhi said the operation targeted terrorist infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Indian authorities also said multiple terror facilities, including Lashkar-e-Taiba’s headquarters in Muridke, were hit during the operation.
As per the news agency, the operation disrupted the activities of Lashkar-e-Taiba and other Pakistan-based terror groups. It also states that Kasuri has continued issuing threats against India, including warnings of another Mumbai-style attack through the sea route.
Fresh threats against India
According to IANS, a video that surfaced in February this year showed Kasuri threatening India and claiming there would be no space left for the “enemy” on land, air or sea.
He also accused India of pursuing what he described as “water terrorism”, referring to New Delhi’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, and warned that increased pressure in Kashmir would trigger unrest elsewhere.
Shoaib Akhtar retired from international cricket in 2011. The former fast bowler remains one of Pakistan’s best-known cricketers and continues to work as a cricket commentator at international tournaments.