Former Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar faced an embarrassing moment during a live interview with Al Jazeera, as she scrambled to defend Islamabad over the presence of a US-designated terrorist at a funeral in Pakistan, following India’s Operation Sindoor strikes on May 7. The interview, which has since gone viral, laid bare Pakistan’s duplicity in shielding terror operatives it claims to disown.
Khar attempted to deflect attention from the presence of Hafiz Abdur Rauf – a US- and UN-designated terrorist affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) – who was seen leading funeral prayers for LeT terrorists killed in India’s precision strikes in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack. She claimed, “There are countless people with that name in Pakistan,” insisting the man in the viral footage was just a “common man.”
“This is not the person India claims it is,” she maintained, waving the image of Rauf and asserting that Pakistan had provided evidence to global partners.
But the Al Jazeera anchor swiftly called her bluff, citing an official Pakistan Army press conference where the military did not deny the man’s identity. In fact, the army confirmed he belonged to a political party and released a national ID number — one that matched the US terrorism sanctions list.
When pressed, Khar faltered: “The Pakistani army is not defending a US-proscribed terrorist.” The anchor pointed out the contradiction, saying, “You just said the army defended him. They didn’t deny the identity.”
Attempting damage control, Khar invoked the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) wing: “The ISPR has clearly stated it is not the same person.” But once again, the anchor pushed back: “That’s not what their statement says.”
The testy exchange has not only gone viral but has also become symbolic of Pakistan’s repeated and blatant obfuscations when it comes to terror elements operating openly on its soil.
India fact-checks Pakistan’s lie
India’s Press Information Bureau (PIB) had already debunked Pakistan’s denials, sharing a direct link to the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) list, where Hafiz Abdur Rauf is clearly designated as a terrorist.
The PIB clarification came after footage emerged of Rauf performing last rites for LeT terrorists neutralised by India during Operation Sindoor.
In the video, Rauf can be seen leading funeral prayers, with chants of “Al Jihad, Al Jihad” echoing in the background. Indian intelligence sources told News18 that Pakistani Army personnel were present at the funeral, offering implicit state backing to the event.
Despite not being related to Hafiz Saeed, Rauf remains a prominent figure in Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), the LeT’s front organisation. His public clerical appearances are widely seen as part of LeT’s strategy to camouflage its jihadist operations under a religious veneer.
Rauf’s name is listed under the United Nations Security Council’s 1267 sanctions list and the US OFAC sanctions list, making him a known quantity in global counterterrorism databases. His presence in a high-profile funeral of terrorists, and Pakistan’s attempted denials, once again exposes the country’s long-standing duplicity: presenting itself as a counterterrorism partner while sheltering proscribed terrorists.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
