Talha Saeed Now Runs Lashkar as Group Rebuilds After India’s Sindoor Strikes

Talha Saeed, son of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed, has emerged as the de facto operational leader of the Pakistan-based terrorist group, directing a strategic revival following heavy losses from India's Operation Sindoor in May 2025. The strikes targeted LeT camps, including the Markaz Taiba headquarters in Muridke, in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists, claimed by LeT proxy The Resistance Front (TRF). Indian intelligence officials report that while Hafiz Saeed remains consulted on major decisions despite his imprisonment on terror financing charges, Talha is "calling the shots" on day-to-day activities. Recent recruitments targeting doctors, engineers, and teachers underscore his push for "white-collar" cadres over traditional fighters, aiming for ideologically committed members who bring technical skills and innovative ideas.

This shift prioritizes quality over quantity, learning from past issues where many LeT operatives joined for financial incentives rather than conviction, according to Intelligence Bureau sources cited in multiple reports. Talha has ramped up social media propaganda to attract educated youth, emphasizing jihadist ideology while avoiding monetary lures. Post-Operation Sindoor, physical training camps have been minimized to evade detection, replaced by online classes for indoctrination and skills training. Experts warn this mirrors tactics of groups like Islamic State and Al-Qaeda, which leveraged educated recruits for sophisticated attacks, potentially making LeT more lethal.

Talha is simultaneously bolstering LeT's political facade through the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), a front for public legitimacy and infiltration, with recent public appearances alongside figures like Saifullah Kasuri—accused in the Pahalgam plot—at Lahore events in December 2025. He has expanded recruitment to children, starting with Quran classes for radicalization, followed by arms training, with skilled youth funneled into PMML or student wings to penetrate universities akin to Bangladesh's Jamaat-e-Islami. Recent X posts and videos show LeT gatherings in Sialkot and Lahore, including women's wings and youth indoctrination, often under Punjab police protection, highlighting Pakistan's alleged tolerance despite LeT's UN designation.

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India, the US, and others have long proscribed Talha for recruitment, funding, and attack planning, with him ranked on India's most-wanted list. LeT, infamous for the 2008 Mumbai attacks killing 166, operates via proxies like Jamaat-ud-Dawa for charity cover while rebuilding in PoK sites like Sharda and Dhirkot. Despite Pakistani bans, open activities—such as Talha congratulating Army Chief Asim Munir—suggest state complicity, drawing FATF scrutiny.

Security analysts view this revival as a long-term threat, with LeT diversifying into real estate for funding and online modules evading surveillance. Indian agencies monitor heightened PoK infrastructure, urging global pressure on Pakistan. As LeT grooms a tech-savvy, ideologically rigid cadre, the risk of high-impact strikes persists, echoing global jihadist evolutions.

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