• Source:JND
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A senior Pakistani politician has come under intense scrutiny after publicly acknowledging close personal and familial ties with Hafiz Saeed, a UN-designated global terrorist and founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, the Speaker of the Punjab Assembly, has triggered widespread outrage after a video surfaced showing him praising Saeed and defending individuals linked to recent terrorist attacks in India.

The controversy began after journalist Taha Siddiqui shared a video on social media in which Malik Ahmad Khan admits to a longstanding relationship with Hafiz Saeed. Speaking in Urdu, Khan stated, “Mera ek rishta hai Hafiz Saeed ke saath. Mere walid marhum ke saath unka bahut gehra talluk tha… Humen inke saath Markazi Muslim League ko apni dusri jamaat samajhte hai. Aur hum samajhte hain ke ye log Pakistan ki khidmat karne wale log hain.”
(Translation: “I have a relationship with Hafiz Saeed. He shared a close bond with my late father... We consider the Markazi Muslim League our second party. These people are serving Pakistan.”)

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Defends Terror Commander Linked to Pahalgam Attack

Khan also shared the stage with LeT commander Saifullah Kasuri, also known as Khalid, during a rally in Punjab on May 28. Khalid is accused of being involved in the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed over 25 civilians. While India has intensified counter-terrorism operations in response to the attack, Khan dismissed the Indian allegations as unproven. “India, without an investigation, has formed a perception,” he said.

India Responds With Renewed Crackdown On Terrorism

Following the Pahalgam incident, India launched a series of operations targeting Pakistan-based terror groups like LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen. The government in New Delhi continues to accuse Islamabad of providing safe haven to terrorists involved in attacks such as the 2008 Mumbai attacks, Pulwama, Uri, and now Pahalgam.

Hafiz Saeed, who founded LeT and masterminded the Mumbai attacks, is on global sanctions lists and is currently serving a prison sentence in Pakistan for terror financing. Despite this, his influence remains strong in sections of Pakistani society and politics.

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Reacting to the video, Mariam Solaimankhil, a member of Afghanistan’s Parliament in exile, condemned Khan’s remarks, saying, “In Pakistan, terror is policy, not an accident. Hafiz Saeed’s son gets a mic. Peaceful voices get prison. And the UN? Quiet as ever, watching genocide through binoculars.”