Killing of anti-India terrorists in Pakistan The Excelsior 21 Aug 2026

https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/who-is-behind-killings-of-anti-india-terrorists-in-pakistan/

Killing of anti-India terrorists in Pakistan The Excelsior 21 Aug 2026

          Pakistan army sponsored terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) claims that over 30 operatives its group, Jaish-e-Mohamad and Hizbul Mujahideen, have been killed in recent years by unknown gunmen. One of its leaders, Rizwan Hanif, accused India of being behind the attacks. He mentioned in a public gathering, ‘In the last four years, 30 of our people were killed by Indian intelligence agents—someone in Peshawar, someone in Karachi, someone in Rawalpindi, someone in Muzaffarabad, someone in Rawalakot.’

While in terrorist groups, death of an individual is a small setback, as another replaces him, the fact remains that the leadership is forced to take additional precautions. Hafiz Saeed is known to be protected by the Pak army and SSG commandoes. He is more secure than Pakistan’s PM, despite supposedly being in prison. Pakistan is the global hotbed for terrorists with almost all UN sanctioned terrorists and terrorist groups existing on its soil.

The fact that a LeT leader, whose group is sanctioned by India, US and the UN, could speak freely in public and make this announcement, speaks volumes of the Pak army’s support to them. But Pakistan is a nation which has historically harboured terrorists, including Bin Laden, hidden just round the bend from their military academy. The Pak army has literally handed over its national security responsibilities to terrorist organizations.

Based on Trudeau’s false claims of India being involved in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023, since retracted, Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson jumping on the bandwagon, had then stated, ‘Indian agents used technology and safe havens on foreign soil (implying Afghanistan) to commit assassinations in Pakistan. They recruited, financed and supported criminals, terrorists and unsuspecting civilians to play defined roles in these assassinations.’ Pakistan has always sought to blame India for all happening within the country. India, on the other hand, denies these allegations.

Surprisingly, five senior terrorists, Riyaz Ahmed, Hanzla Adnan, Khwaja Shahid, Maulvi Ramimullah Tariq and Shahid Latif, were all killed between Sept and Dec 2023, when India-Canada relations were at an ebb post the killing of Harjit Singh Nijjar in Canada. This large number of sudden deaths raises doubts on Pakistan’s claims of Indian involvement. Interestingly, even without investigation, Pakistan’s security agencies blame India.  

Pakistan’s police and intelligence agencies have been unable to solve even a single killing to date, while they claim to be effective. This is either due to their incapability or intentional. Most likely intentional. Further, Pakistan is known to pick up innocents and force them to accept responsibility as also having done it on directions of Indian agents based in Dubai. With nothing of this sort happening, it appears that their deaths are intentionally not being investigated, as their own are involved.

The truth behind the killings is being hidden by the ISI and its terrorist groups. Each group is led by corrupt leaders, who draw in illiterate and unemployed youth for a pittance, brainwash them on religion and exploit them as terrorists. They receive nothing but a one-way ticket to India through infiltration, their leaders aware that they will ultimately be killed by Indian security agencies and their supposed salary will go into their pockets.

It was this pocketing of money which led to the latest murder of LeT member Qari Saeed Abdul Aziz, just outside a Mosque, responsible for providing financial support to terrorists eliminated in J and K. Simultaneously, these groups are involved in fund raising in Mosques, most going into pockets of heads of the group.

Not a single terrorist leader has ever launched his own kith and kin across the border as a terrorist, rather trained them to be his successor. Many also have their children settled in Gulf countries. Terrorist leaders live a life of luxury in palatial houses, protected by the Pak army, while the poor terrorist is nothing but cannon fodder. With passage of time, an internal struggle for control of funds and power commences.

This struggle is largely because of family transition, which others seek to challenge, considering themselves more deserving, having risen up the ladder. This friction results in internal targeting of rivals. With killers on their payroll, it is easily feasible. This is rarely out in public domain, especially in a country like Pakistan, where the media is tightly controlled. Truth emerging would impact credibility of these groups, reduce intake of terrorists as also flow of funds.

Another factor is Pakistan’s ISI eliminating terrorists who have outlived their utility. Some terrorists, long past their prime, on the global radar for involvement in terrorist activities in India, are a burden and an embarrassment to the Pak army. Their security, salaries and provision of employment, post them being incapable of terrorist activities are costs, which can be cut down by their killing.

Their elimination and subsequently blaming India serves the Pak army well. It achieves its aim of eliminating wasted terrorists as also accusing India on the global stage of carrying out extra-territorial killings.

Killing of terrorists in Pakistan also has two additional fallouts. Firstly, India’s RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) is projected as far more capable than Israel’s MOSSAD and the US’s CIA, when it comes to eliminating its enemies. Its agents are supposed to be roaming Pakistan freely, seeking marked terrorists, and eliminating them at will, despite many being protected by the Pakistan deep state, without a single agent ever being caught. This view has gained credence in Pakistan after the release of the film Dhurandhar.

Secondly, Pakistan is playing a double game with its own terrorist groups and their erstwhile members. Those who question the group’s leadership for a higher role or have outlived their utility are eliminated and India blamed. This is then exploited by the group’s leaders in their speeches as India being responsible, thereby recruiting sympathizers, whom they then brainwash and push across the LoC.

No matter what the truth, the reputation of India’s RAW as an effective agency has gained ground amongst the Pak public, while the image of its own investigating agencies, including local police and ISI, has taken a beating. For India, those whom it seeks are being killed, irrespective of who eliminates them.