Pakistani Cleric's Claim on Hafiz Saeed Revives Scrutiny of LeT's Kashmir Role

Pakistani cleric Allama Naseer Madni has claimed that Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed sent 10,000 terrorists to Kashmir, reviving scrutiny over the Pakistan-based organisation’s alleged involvement in militancy in Jammu and Kashmir. Madni made the claim while addressing a gathering linked to the banned organisation in Bahawalnagar on August 14. The statement comes amid continued investigations into major terror attacks in India and renewed attention on Saeed’s alleged role in militant activities.

Madni, who recently returned to public appearances after reportedly suffering a serious cardiac episode during a Friday sermon, spoke about Saeed during the gathering. His claim has raised questions about the scale of Lashkar-e-Taiba’s alleged operations and recruitment network. The figure cited by the cleric has not been independently established in the material available in the report, and his statement should therefore be treated as an allegation rather than a verified account of the number of militants sent to Kashmir.

Saeed is the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based terrorist organisation that has been accused of involvement in several attacks against India. The United Nations sanctioned Lashkar-e-Taiba in 2005 over its links to Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, while the United States later designated Saeed under its global terrorism sanctions framework. His name has also featured prominently in Indian investigations concerning major terror attacks, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

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The November 2008 Mumbai attacks remain among the most significant terror cases associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba. Ten terrorists entered Mumbai by sea and carried out coordinated attacks at several locations over four days, killing 166 people and injuring around 300 others. The attacks targeted prominent sites and crowded public locations, creating an international security crisis and intensifying scrutiny of the organisation’s alleged Pakistan-based infrastructure.

Saeed has also been linked by Indian investigators to the case concerning the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 people, mostly civilians, were killed. A Jammu court reportedly issued a non-bailable warrant against him in July in connection with the case. Separately, Mumbai Police have initiated proceedings for an in-absentia trial against six Pakistani accused who remain absconding in connection with the 26/11 case.

The latest remarks have once again placed Saeed and Lashkar-e-Taiba at the centre of discussion surrounding cross-border terrorism and militancy in Kashmir. Indian authorities have continued to pursue legal proceedings against accused individuals who remain outside the country, while Pakistani cleric Madni’s claim has added another statement to the wider debate over the organisation’s alleged activities. The reported figure of 10,000 terrorists remains a claim made by the cleric and has not been independently verified.

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