SRINAGAR: Hafiz Talha Saeed, the son of 2008 Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed, made a contentious and defiant speech at a rally held in Lahore on Pakistan’s ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day.’ During his address, Talha not only demanded the release of his jailed father but also pledged to “liberate Kashmir from India at any cost,” reports India Today.
The rally, which marked Pakistan’s annual observance of Kashmir Solidarity Day, was a platform for Talha to voice his staunch views on Kashmir and India. He launched a scathing personal attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom he referred to as a “shaitan” (devil). “I want to warn PM Modi that Kashmir belongs to Muslims, and we will take Kashmir from you. It will be a part of Pakistan Muslim India soon,” Talha said.
Talha’s speech also included a firm defence of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the terror group founded by his father which carried out the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Despite global condemnation and the designation of LeT as a terrorist organization by both the United States and the United Nations, Talha dismissed these sanctions as “propaganda” designed to tarnish his father’s image.
He further questioned the legitimacy of his father’s imprisonment, demanding that the Pakistani government review its policies and release Hafiz Saeed from prison. “Hafiz Saeed is not guilty; why is he suffering in jail?” Talha rhetorically asked, calling on the Pakistani state to rectify what he characterized as an unjust imprisonment.
The rally, which was attended by hundreds of supporters, saw the crowd echoing Talha’s call for his father’s release, chanting slogans in support of Hafiz Saeed and his extremist organization, Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD).
Hafiz Saeed’s terror links
Hafiz Saeed, the founder of LeT and JuD, has been implicated in the planning and execution of multiple attacks in India, including the deadly 26/11 Mumbai attacks, which left over 160 people dead.
In addition to his role in orchestrating attacks, Saeed has been involved in terror financing and promoting anti-India rhetoric across the region. In 2012, the United States placed a $10 million bounty on his head, and both the US and the United Nations have imposed sanctions on him, accusing him of orchestrating terrorism and financing militant activities.
Saeed was sentenced to 78 years in prison for terror-related offenses in Pakistan, with an additional 31-year sentence handed down in 2022. Despite these legal proceedings, Pakistan has remained a haven for extremist elements, offering a platform for figures like Saeed and his followers.
