A senior leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) has openly acknowledged the Pakistani military’s direct and ongoing association with the banned terrorist organization, stating that he regularly receives invitations from the Pakistan Army to attend military events and is even asked to lead funeral prayers for fallen soldiers. The remarks, which have surfaced in an undated video, offer rare public confirmation of the close coordination between Pakistan’s armed forces and proscribed militant groups.
The individual making these statements is Saifullah Kasuri, the deputy chief of the outfit led by Hafiz Saeed and the alleged mastermind behind the Pahalgam terror attack. Kasuri made the comments while addressing schoolchildren at an event held in a school in Pakistan. During his speech, he not only spoke about his interactions with the Pakistan Army but also issued provocative remarks directed at India, claiming that New Delhi is frightened by his presence and influence.
In the video, Kasuri is heard telling the audience that the Pakistan Army formally invites him through official communication to attend its functions. He further claimed that the military specifically asks him to lead funeral prayers for its soldiers, a statement that directly contradicts Pakistan’s repeated assertions on international platforms that it has severed all ties with terrorist organizations and is actively working to dismantle them. His comments appear to undermine Islamabad’s long-standing narrative of taking action against extremist groups operating from its territory.
Kasuri’s public admission highlights not only the continued cooperation between the Pakistani military and banned outfits but also the depth of their engagement. By openly discussing such interactions in a public setting, he exposed what critics say is the reality behind Pakistan’s counterterrorism claims, revealing an apparent overlap between state institutions and extremist elements.
During the same address, Kasuri made inflammatory statements aimed at India, asking rhetorically whether the audience knew that India was “scared” of him. In earlier remarks captured in separate videos, he acknowledged that India’s military action, referred to as Operation Sindoor, had destroyed terrorist infrastructure inside Pakistan. However, he went on to claim that India had made a “mistake” by targeting only terror hideouts. He reiterated LeT’s continued focus on Kashmir, declaring that the group would never abandon what he described as its Kashmir mission.
In one such video, Kasuri was heard saying that India had erred during Operation Sindoor by limiting its strikes to terrorist facilities, a comment that appeared to combine acknowledgment of damage with defiance. He has repeatedly framed India’s actions as ineffective while simultaneously using them to bolster his own profile.
Previously, at a public rally in Kasur district of Pakistan’s Punjab province, Kasuri claimed that he had gained worldwide notoriety after being accused of masterminding the Pahalgam terror attack. He told supporters that being labeled the key planner of the attack had made his name known globally, a statement that further underscored his lack of remorse and his attempt to glorify acts of terrorism.
India carried out Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, which left 26 civilians dead. The operation led to four days of intense cross-border drone and missile exchanges between India and Pakistan. On May 10, both sides reached an understanding to halt the fighting, bringing the immediate hostilities to an end after several days of escalation.
