Pak PM's Aide Photographed With Hafiz Saeed's Son Amid Terror Nexus Claims

A close aide of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was recently seen sharing a stage with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Hafiz Talha Saeed, once again exposing the deep nexus between Pakistan's political leadership and proscribed terror outfits. Sharif's Political Affairs Advisor, Rana Sanaullah, was photographed with Talha Saeed, who is the son of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, at a Faisalabad wedding.

NDTV could not independently verify the exact date when the two met. But images from the high-profile social gathering, showing Sanaullah and Talha Saeed openly interacting on the stage and shaking hands, have gone viral on social media.

🇵🇰⚡️Politician & Terrorist Nexus in Pakistan

Rana Sanaullah, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Pakistan on Political Affairs meets with Hafiz Talha Saeed of Lashkar-e-Taiba. pic.twitter.com/lYgPxwsLSX

— War Flash (@WarFlash_2630) March 31, 2026

Hafiz Saeed is one of the most wanted terrorists in India and is named in investigations from the 2008 Mumbai attack to the Pulwama bombing. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed multiple cases against him, linking him to terror financing and terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

The interaction points to a broader pattern of informal ties between Pakistan's ruling elite and individuals linked to extremist networks.

The Terror Nexus Report

The incident comes days after a US report highlighted 15 active terror outfits in Pakistan -- many targeting India -- underscoring persistent global security concerns related to the South Asian nation. The recent Congressional Research Service report highlighted that despite years of military operations and policy measures, the terrorist groups "continue to operate on Pakistani soil".

The report said that several of the India-focused groups remain active in Pakistan, including Lashkar-e-Taiba, responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and Jaish-e-Mohammed, linked to the 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament. It further pointed out that Pakistan is being used both as a base and as a target for these terrorist groups.

Pakistan has faced a sharp rise in terrorism in recent years. After five consecutive years of declining fatalities that fell to 365 in 2019, the number of terrorism-related deaths has increased annually, "spiking to 4,001 in 2025, the highest toll in 11 years".

According to the report, Pakistan is the country "most impacted by terrorism", reflecting a resurgence of militancy following the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan in 2021.