Lashkar-e-Taiba Political Wing Members Attend Funeral of Shoaib Akhtar's Brother
A video released by the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), the political proxy of the banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), shows several of its leaders attending the funeral of Shahid Akhtar, brother of former Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhtar, in Islamabad.
The funeral took place three days after Shahid Akhtar died of a cardiac arrest, as reported by Pakistani media. Among those present were Inam-ur-Rehman Kamboh, PMML's Islamabad chief; Abdullah Toor, PMML's deputy general secretary; Hafiz Umar, PMML's zonal general secretary; and Amjad Bhatti, chairman of the Khidmat Committee. These individuals are known to be close associates of Hafiz Saeed, the founder of LeT, who is designated as a terrorist by India and the United Nations for masterminding the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
The video shows them standing in a queue and praying for the departed soul. Shoaib Akhtar confirmed his brother's death on social media, writing: 'I'm very saddened to share that my beloved older brother, Shahid Akhtar, has returned to Allah Subhana wa Taala. Namaz-e-Janaza time & place will be informed in the morning.' He has not commented on the attendance of PMML leaders at the funeral.
India has repeatedly raised concerns at international forums about Pakistan providing safe havens to terrorist groups. The presence of LeT-affiliated individuals at a public event involving a prominent Pakistani figure is likely to reinforce these concerns, though Pakistan officially denies any state support for terrorism.
