Lashkar Chief’s Son Blasts Bilawal Bhutto For Considering Extradition Of Hafiz Saeed And Masood Azhar To India, Calls It Insult To Pakistan

Islamabad: Pakistan's former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's remarks on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and extradition of notorious terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar to India have exposed the country's claims of fighting terrorism on the global stage. In a shocking display of audacity, Talha Saeed, the son of terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed, has blasted Bilawal Bhutto, the son of current Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, for his statement, suggesting that Pakistan might extradite terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar to India as a confidence-building measure. Talha Saeed expressed his outrage at Bhutto, stating that the former Pakistan Minister's comments have insulted his father and brought disgrace to the nation globally. 

In a recent interview with a foreign news organisation, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that Pakistan would not oppose extraditing terrorists of concern, including Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar, if India cooperates in the process. "As part of a comprehensive dialogue with Pakistan, where terrorism is one of the issues we discuss, I am sure Pakistan would not be opposed to any of these things," he said.

Responding to this statement, Talha Saeed hit back, saying Bilawal Bhutto's remarks were against Pakistan's state policy and national interest. "Bilawal Bhutto should not have talked about extraditing Pakistanis. His statement is against the state policy, national interest, and sovereignty, and we strongly condemn it," Talha said. He questioned whether a state representative could discuss handing over citizens to an enemy country, adding that Bilawal Bhutto is either unaware of ground realities or promoting the enemy's narrative.

Reactions from Pakistan's Political Circles

Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party has also criticised Bilawal Bhutto's remarks, calling him an "immature political child". PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram accused Bilawal of harming Pakistan's national security narrative and appeasing India. "We fail to understand why Bilawal is so keen on appeasing India," Akram said, adding that Bilawal's proposal was ill-advised and detrimental to Pakistan's interests.

Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, is currently serving a 33-year sentence for terror financing in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail. Masood Azhar, a UN-designated global terrorist, is believed to be living in Afghanistan, according to Bilawal Bhutto.

However, Bilawal Bhutto's remarks have been met with fierce resistance from hardline factions within the country, with Talha Saeed's reaction, condemning Bhutto's comments as an insult to his father and Pakistan. "Bilawal Bhutto is either unaware of ground realities or promoting the enemy's narrative," Talha said, questioning whether a state representative could talk about handing over citizens to an enemy country. 

In the meantime, the outburst of the son of a notorious terrorist brought forth the deep-seated contradictions within Pakistan's approach to terrorism. The controversy surrounding Bilawal Bhutto's statement outlined the infected power dynamics in Pakistan, where the military and intelligence agencies wield huge influence over major decisions. In the present scenario, given the background, it appears likely that Bilawal Bhutto might retract his statement on extradition in the coming days. Despite his father's position as the President, the actual power structure and political reality in Pakistan indicated that his remarks may not translate into action, and the extradition of Hafiz Saeed or Masood Azhar to India remains improbable.

Pakistan's Double Standards

Pakistan's stance on terrorism has long been a subject of controversy, with the country accused of harbouring terrorists and exploiting legal loopholes to protect them from accountability. Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, and Masood Azhar, linked to several major attacks in India, continue to operate with impunity in Pakistan. Despite being designated by the UN and recognised by Pakistan's own National Counter Terrorism Authority (NCTA), these terrorists seem to enjoy protection from the Pakistani establishment.

India has consistently accused Pakistan of harbouring terrorists. Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has reiterated that Pakistan must hand over Hafiz Saeed, Azhar, and others as a demonstration of its commitment to combating terrorism. India's Ambassador to Israel, JP Singh, has also called on Pakistan to hand over the leaders of two Pakistan-based global Islamist terror organisations, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), to India.

Meanwhile, the outrage in Pakistan over the issue of extradition of terrorists to India threw some spotlight on the internal contradictions within Pakistan's approach to terrorism, where moderate political perspectives often face intense scrutiny and backlash from hardline factions. 

As the tension within Pakistan escalates, particularly regarding its stance toward India and the handling of terror organisations, the challenge remains for the country to address its internal divides. On the other hand, Talha Saeed's outburst indicated that reaching a consensus on action against terrorism will remain a formidable task.

The reaction to Bilawal Bhutto's statement is particularly noteworthy given the recent comments by Pakistan's federal minister Malik Rasheed, who publicly declared that Pakistan's 240 million citizens are Hafiz Saeed and claimed Saifullah Kasuri and Hafiz Saeed are Pakistan's national heroes.