Pahalgam attack mastermind Saifullah Khalid plots new Jihadist front to destabilise Bangladesh: Intel sources

According to top Indian intelligence sources, Khalid’s speech at the event is being viewed as a strategic call to arms, laying the groundwork for a fresh wave of extremist activity—this time targeting Bangladesh.

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Saifullah Khalid, deputy chief of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and alleged mastermind of the Pahalgam massacre, surfaced at a provocative rally in Punjab, Pakistan, on Wednesday. The high-profile rally, organised by the Milli Muslim League, served as a stage for Khalid to spew incendiary rhetoric and unveil a sinister ideological roadmap aimed at destabilising South Asia.

According to News18, top intelligence agencies have flagged Khalid’s appearance as a strategic move designed to resurrect jihadist networks and ignite fresh unrest in Bangladesh. Intelligence insiders warn that Khalid, exploiting Pakistan’s state-backed terror infrastructure and leveraging the influence of Talha Saeed — son of notorious terrorist Hafiz Saeed — is planning to infiltrate political cracks in Bangladesh and ignite a new Islamist insurgency.

What Khalid said

In his address, Khalid described Bangladesh as a land where Muslims are persecuted and openly called for “jihad against Hindus.” His speech, laced with ideological provocation and specific operational directives, is being interpreted as a direct threat to both Bangladesh and India. Intelligence officials have confirmed that Khalid not only named targets but also laid out his intention to bolster jihadist recruitment through the creation of terror infrastructure — including a purported hospital in Allahabad, Kasur — aimed at radicalising Bangladeshi youth.

Notably, Khalid extended support to Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), signalling deeper collaboration between LeT and the Bangladesh-based terror outfit. Recent arrests of JMB operatives in Pakistan have uncovered chilling details about their coordinated operations against Dhaka. According to intelligence reports, JMB has already shown signs of cross-border readiness by organising pro-Hamas rallies in the heart of Dhaka. 

LeT, with ISI’s active assistance, is reportedly arming JMB with weapons, training, funding, and logistical support.

Analysts believe Khalid’s speech marks a dangerous escalation in LeT’s regional ambitions. As the group’s second-in-command, Khalid is central to funnelling resources into Bangladesh to orchestrate attacks on Indian interests. His inflammatory rhetoric suggests LeT now seeks to rebrand itself as the vanguard of global Islamic identity, rallying against what it perceives as secular suppression.

The implication is clear: with ISI acting as an enabler, Lashkar-e-Taiba is poised to activate a fresh terror front in Bangladesh through indigenous extremist factions like JMB.

A video of the rally, widely circulated online, shows Khalid unleashing a tirade of hatred targeting India, Hindus, and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Glorifying Pakistani militants killed in India’s counter-terror operation dubbed “Operation Sindoor,” Khalid declared them as “martyrs.”

“I was informed that there was a terrorist attack in India on April 22, and later I came to know that India had referred to me as the mastermind of the attack,” Khalid said defiantly. “We are not going to be scared by bullet shots and firing, and we aspire to die as martyrs.”

According to reports, Khalid arrived in Kanganpur, Punjab (Pakistan), two months prior to the April 22 Pahalgam bloodbath, where 26 tourists were gunned down by terrorists after being quizzed about their faith.