Pakistan Election 2024: Party affiliated with 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed and his son enters the fray
According to media reports in Pakistan, Talha Saeed, the son of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed, is among the candidates nominated by the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML) for the upcoming elections.
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FollowIn a significant development, a political party affiliated with the orchestrator of the Mumbai blasts, commonly referred to as 26/11, is participating in the upcoming general elections in Pakistan. According to a report from the Pakistani English daily, Dawn, the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), believed to have the backing of Hafiz Saeed, has nominated candidates for every national and provincial assembly constituency.
The report also states that Talha Saeed, the son of Hafiz Saeed, is among the candidates. Allegedly, Talha is contesting from the National Assembly’s constituency NA-127 in Lahore.
It's worth noting that Hafiz Saeed, the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has been in prison since 2019, having been convicted for several years in multiple cases related to terror financing, along with other leaders of the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD). The JuD, led by Saeed, serves as the front organization for LeT, the group responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks that claimed the lives of 166 people, including six Americans.
Additionally, apart from Talha, Khalid Masood Sindhu, the central president of PMML, is also contesting from Lahore, challenging Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. In a video message, Sindhu expressed the party's aspiration to attain power not for corrupt practices but to serve the people and transform Pakistan into an Islamic welfare state.
However, when approached by the news agency PTI, Sindhu refuted any association between his party and Hafiz Saeed's organization. He asserted on Monday, "The PMML has no support from Hafiz Saeed."
It is noteworthy that the Milli Muslim League (MML) previously served as the political front for JuD, fielding candidates in numerous seats, particularly in the Punjab province. However, in the last general elections in 2018, the MML failed to secure a single seat.
For the 2024 polls, the PMML has been formed because of a ban on the MML.
