- Yet again, Pakistan finds itself at the centre of a major convergence of the world's most-wanted terrorists
- Several high-profile terrorists based in Pakistan attended terrorist Hamza Burhan's funeral in Islamabad
- Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Sallahudin and Al-Badr chief Bakht Zameen Khan were among them
In yet another instance, Pakistan finds itself at the centre of a major convergence of the world's most-wanted terrorists, shattering lies by Islamabad that it is not a global terror export hub.
Several high-profile and wanted terrorists based in Pakistan attended wanted terrorist Hamza Burhan's funeral in Islamabad on Friday. Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Sallahudin, a US-designated terrorist, and Al-Badr chief Bakht Zameen Khan were seen in visuals that have emerged from the gathering.
Arjumand Gulzar Dar alias Hamza Burhan, a top commander of the banned Al-Badr terror outfit who went by the codename 'Doctor', was wanted in India for spearheading an elaborate terror network in Jammu and Kashmir. He was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) a day earlier and was buried in Islamabad.
Read: Unidentified Gunmen Strike Again, Wanted Al-Badr Commander Shot Dead In PoK
Photos and videos circulating on social media showed heavy security arrangements at the funeral gathering, with a massive deployment of armed terrorists, once again bringing to light how Pakistan had been sheltering the world's infamous terrorists in its territory.
The security detail around Zameen Khan drew attention. Terrorists armed with AK-47s and other modern weaponry were seen in a tight cordon around him. It is believed that his security had been heightened after a spate of targeted killings of terrorists in Pakistan and PoK in recent times. Over the past few years, several wanted terrorists had been killed under mysterious circumstances, reportedly creating an atmosphere of fear within the terrorist ranks.
Read: Pak PM's Aide Photographed With Hafiz Saeed's Son Amid Terror Nexus Claims
That Pakistan shelters terrorists is a well-known fact. The country had often drawn backlash for its state backing to a thriving terror ecosystem.
Over a month ago, a close aide of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was seen sharing a stage with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Hafiz Talha Saeed, son of 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed.
Last year, several top Pakistani military officers were seen at the funeral of terrorists wiped out during Operation Sindoor strikes, restating the military-terrorist nexus in Pakistan.
Who Was Hamza Burhan
A native of Ratnipora in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, Burhan had travelled to Pakistan using valid documents and joined the Al-Badr outfit. His name had first surfaced in connection with the terror attack in Pulwama that left 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel dead in 2019.
In 2022, he was designated a terrorist in India.
Security agencies say Burhan played a pivotal role in radicalising the youth in Kashmir, recruiting terrorists, and channelling terror funding from Pakistan. He was instrumental in establishing a network for Al-Badr and connecting new recruits, they claim.
He was reportedly hiding in PoK's Muzaffarabad for some time, using a different identity. Local police say he was the principal at a private college. On Thursday morning, unidentified gunmen shot at him from point-blank range at the exit of the college premises.
Burhaz was rushed to a hospital with three gunshot wounds to his head and died there, say Pakistani police.
A suspect has been arrested, and a weapon recovered from him. Eyewitnesses suggest the suspect tried to flee on a bike but was caught by the locals and handed over to the police.
