Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on a visit to the United States for the 81st UN General Assembly, was asked by reporters about Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed and Pakistan’s alleged harbouring of terrorists. He refused to answer and walked away.
As Sharif entered the UN headquarters, a reporter confronted him with the question, “Prime Minister, when will you stop harbouring terrorists?” Sharif gave no response. As he left the premises, he was asked the same question again, and once more refused to answer.
Who Is Hafiz Saeed
Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, a resident of Pakistan’s Punjab province, is a designated terrorist under India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, the country’s primary anti-terrorism and national security legislation. He is the founder of the proscribed terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
He is wanted as an accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case. The Pahalgam terror attack of April 22, 2025, which killed 26 people, was also orchestrated by Pakistan-based LeT operatives, according to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
In its supplementary chargesheet, the NIA names Hafiz Muhammad Saeed as Accused No. 8, alleging his involvement in the larger conspiracy behind the attack.
India Slams Pakistan at UN
Separately, India used its address to the UNGA to criticise Pakistan sharply, telling Islamabad to focus on its debt-ridden economy, which survives on bailouts, rather than on territorial ambitions or cross-border terrorism.
Exercising India’s right of reply at the UN Human Rights Council, Indian diplomat Kshitij Tyagi pushed back against what he called Pakistan’s diversionary tactics, saying its hostile posturing would do nothing to rescue its failing financial system.
Tyagi said Pakistan’s priorities remain fundamentally misplaced, adding, “Pakistan would better serve its people by focusing on development, rather than by coveting territory of others or exporting terror, because neither these nor its theatrics in the Council would help repay the loans its economy survives on.”
(With inputs from agencies)
-
-
-
-
