Saifullah Kasuri, the senior commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), who planned the Pahalgam attack that claimed 26 innocent lives, made a public appearance as he was spotted at a rally in Lahore. According to media reports, the rally was organised by the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML) to mark the anniversary of Pakistan's nuclear tests. Talha Saeed, son of LeT founder Hafiz Saeed, a designated terrorist by India, was also present with Kasuri.
A senior Lashkar-e-Taiba commander and a close associate of Hafiz Saeed, Saifullah Kasuri alias Khalid, is the key conspirator in the Pahalgam terror attacks. Reported to oversee LeT's operational strategies, he is also instrumental in managing the activities of the Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant activities in the Kashmir Valley, according to a media report.
Earlier, The Resistance Front (TRF), which is identified as a front organisation of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack.
Notably, Kasuri, in a video message, denied the responsibility for the Pahalgam attack, as he could be heard saying that he did not instigate the terrorist attacks in Pahalgam. Kasuri, who looked visibly scared, called himself innocent and blamed the 'Indian media' for framing him as responsible for the attacks. He accused India of aspiring to stop the development in Pakistan.
The group came into existence in 2019 as a proxy of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, which was involved in numerous terror acts, including the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The outfit is involved in psychological operations on social media platforms for inciting the people of Jammu and Kashmir to join terrorist outfits against the Indian government.
The home ministry while banning the group said Sheikh Sajjad Gul is a commander of The Resistance Front and has been designated as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act 1967.
