A meeting between Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leader Saifullah Khalid and Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal in Doha, Qatar, has sparked concern in New Delhi. Khalid, who was designated a global terrorist by the US in 2018 and currently heads the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), which is linked to LeT, appeared in a video posted by PMML’s media team. The video shows Khalid, along with PMML vice-president Faisal Nadeem and Naji Zaheer as-Sarmi, meeting Meshaal to offer condolences for the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, reportedly killed in an Israeli strike in Tehran.
Khalid, a close associate of LeT founder Hafiz Saeed, played a key role in the group’s operations and was listed as a global terrorist by the US for acting on LeT’s behalf. He has held various leadership positions within LeT and its affiliates. His presence in Doha raised concerns about Pakistan’s stance, as the country allowed a US-designated terrorist to travel internationally.
An official from India’s central intelligence agency criticized Islamabad for allowing Khalid’s travel, highlighting that despite being banned, LeT continues its operations under the guise of political activity in Pakistan, supported by the government. This is not the first time LeT members have openly shown solidarity with Hamas. Last year, Khalid and other PMML leaders shared a platform with Meshaal’s representative during anti-Israel protests in Karachi.
PMML also contested the 2024 general elections in Pakistan, with Hafiz Saeed’s son Hafiz Talha running for a seat in Lahore, though he was defeated by a PTI-backed candidate. Saeed, who masterminded the 2008 Mumbai attacks, is currently imprisoned in Lahore after being convicted on several terrorism financing charges.
LeT, alongside other terror groups like Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Hizbul Mujahideen, has increased its activities in Jammu & Kashmir, targeting security forces and civilians ahead of the upcoming elections in the region. Last year, Israel marked the 15th anniversary of the Mumbai attacks by officially designating LeT as a terrorist organization.
Dr. Sameer Patil of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) pointed out that Khalid’s ability to travel internationally underscores Pakistan’s lack of meaningful action against terror groups. While the country publicly claims to crack down on terrorism, these measures appear largely superficial, as terror masterminds continue to operate both within Pakistan and abroad.
