Pahalgam mastermind, LeT leaders attend Shoaib Akhtar's brother's funeral in Islamabad

The funeral of former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar's elder brother, Shahid Akhtar, has come under the spotlight after several leaders linked to the banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were seen attending the ceremony in Islamabad.

According to a report by India Today, videos and photographs from the funeral showed Saifullah Kasuri, the deputy chief of Lashkar-e-Taiba and the mastermind of the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack, among those present.

Also seen at the funeral was Inam-ur-Rehman Kamboh, president of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), widely regarded as the political front of LeT.

Shahid Akhtar passed away on June 24 after reportedly suffering a cardiac arrest. Confirming the loss, Shoaib Akhtar wrote on social media that his elder brother had "returned to Allah" and shared details of the funeral prayers. The former cricketer has not commented on the presence of LeT-linked figures at the ceremony.

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LeT political wing leaders present

Apart from Kasuri and Kamboh, a video released by the PMML showed several other office-bearers of the organisation attending the funeral. They included Abdullah Toor, the party's deputy general secretary, Hafiz Umar, PMML's zonal general secretary, and Amjad Bhatti, chairman of its Khidmat Committee.

The attendees were seen standing in a queue and offering prayers for the departed. The presence of leaders associated with the PMML has once again drawn attention to the organisation's links with Lashkar-e-Taiba.

The PMML was formed after Pakistan banned organisations such as Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and the Milli Muslim League (MML), both linked to UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed. The party also contested Pakistan's 2024 general elections.

Focus on Saifullah Kasuri

Kasuri is considered as the mastermind of the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 25 tourists were killed. His appearance at a public event has renewed concerns in India over the continued presence and activities of senior LeT leaders inside Pakistan and the support they are provided by the Pakistani authorities.

In another recently surfaced video, cited in the report, Kasuri is heard claiming that the Pakistan Army regularly invites him to official events and even asks him to lead funeral prayers for soldiers.

The remarks have further fuelled allegations of close links between sections of Pakistan's establishment and banned terror groups.

Fresh questions over Pakistan's terror network

The presence of LeT-linked leaders at a high-profile public funeral has once again raised questions about the influence and freedom enjoyed by banned terror organisations in Pakistan.

The development is likely to reinforce India's long-standing position that Pakistan continues to provide space for terror groups and their leaders despite repeated international scrutiny.

The incident has generated widespread attention because of the prominent terrorists present at the funeral.