Indian envoy and foreign secretary expose Pakistan’s military links to terrorism

India slammed Pakistan for giving state funerals to terrorists killed in Operation Sindoor, with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri questioning the message it sends globally. A viral photo showed Pakistani military at the funeral ceremony. 

New Delhi: In a powerful exchange on Sky News, Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami, confronted Pakistan over its support for terrorism, presenting a viral photograph as proof. The photograph shows Pakistani military officials attending the funeral of terrorists killed during India’s Operation Sindoor.

Doraiswami highlighted the presence of UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Abdur Rauf, the brother of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, who was seen leading funeral prayers for the slain terrorists. The photograph, which also shows Pakistani military personnel present at the event, raises serious concerns about the state’s involvement in promoting terrorism.

“This person here is a sanctioned terrorist under the American sanctions regime. His name is Hafiz Abdur Rauf... he’s the brother of the founder of the terrorist group,” Doraiswami pointed out during his interview with Sky News anchor Yalda Hakim. He further emphasized, “Look who is behind him? Pakistani military. Look at the coffins there… they have the Pakistani national flag. If you are giving terrorists state funerals, what does that make of your system?”

The photograph was also shared by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri during a press briefing in New Delhi. Misri echoed Doraiswami’s concerns, urging the international community to reflect on the implications of Pakistan’s actions. “I wonder what message this picture sends to all of you? This is a question that is worth asking,” he stated.

The photograph surfaced amid heightened tensions following India’s Operation Sindoor, a military strike targeting terrorist training camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation was carried out by the Indian Armed Forces to avenge the deadly Pahalgam terrorist attack and to preempt future threats to India. The Indian forces specifically targeted nine terrorist camps linked to terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen.

The photograph and the statements made by the Indian officials underscore growing concerns over Pakistan’s complicity in supporting terrorism and the international community’s need to hold the state accountable for its actions.