Islamabad: Some of the world’s most-wanted terrorists gathered for the funeral of Al-Badr commander Hamza Burhan in Islamabad on Friday, belying Pakistan’s claim that it is not a global terror export hub.
Among those spotted at the funeral were Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Sallahudin, a US-designated terrorist, and Al-Badr chief Bakht Zameen Khan.
Arjumand Gulzar Dar alias Hamza Burhan alias Doctor, was wanted in India for spearheading an elaborate terror network in Jammu and Kashmir. He was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and was buried in Islamabad.
There was heavy security arrangements at the funeral gathering, with a massive deployment of armed terrorists, photos and videos circulating on social media revealed, as reported by NDTV.
This throws light on how Pakistan continues to shelter some of the world’s most wanted terrorists, while denying the same at international fora.
The massive security cordon around Al-Badr chief Zameen Khan drew special attention. Terrorists armed with AK-47s and other modern weaponry were seen in a tight cordon around him. His security had been heightened after a spate of targeted killings of terrorists in Pakistan and PoJK in recent times, it is believed. Several wanted terrorists had been killed under mysterious circumstances, over the last few years. This has created an atmosphere of fear within the terrorist ranks.
It is a well known fact that the Pakistani administration shelters terrorists, though Islamabad continues to deny it. Pakistan Army officials had been spotted attending the funerals of terrorists killed during Operation Sindoor.
A close aide of Pakistan prime minister Shehbaz Sharif was seen sharing a stage with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Hafiz Talha Saeed, son of 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed, about a month ago.
Burhan is a native of Ratnipora in the Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. He travelled to Pakistan using valid documents and joined the Al-Badr outfit. His name first surfaced in connection with the Pulwama terror attack that left 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel dead in 2019.
He was designated a terrorist in India in 2022.
Burhan played a pivotal role in radicalising the youth in Kashmir, recruiting terrorists, and channelling terror funding from Pakistan, security agencies have said. He was instrumental in establishing a network for Al-Badr and connecting new recruits, it has been claimed.
He hid in PoJK’s Muzaffarabad for some time, using a different identity. The local police saif he was the principal at a private college. On Thursday morning, unidentified gunmen shot at him from point-blank range at the exit of the college premises.
He was rushed to hospital with three gunshot wounds to his head and died there, the police said.
Officials said that a suspect has been arrested, and a weapon recovered from him. The suspect tried to flee on a bike but was caught by the locals and handed over to the police, witnesses said.
