Pak Army Salutes Slain Terrorists: India’s Operation Sindoor Exposes Duplicity

GG News Bureau
Islamabad, 7th May: Funeral prayers for several terrorists reportedly eliminated in India’s recent “Operation Sindoor” were held on Wednesday, attended by personnel from the Pakistan Army and members of the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), led by Hafiz Saeed. This raises serious questions about Pakistan’s commitment to countering terrorism, especially after videos circulating on social media allegedly showed the bodies of the deceased terrorists draped in the Pakistani flag.

India’s armed forces claimed to have targeted nine locations across Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Wednesday, in what they described as a “non-escalatory” action aimed at terror outfits. The funeral prayer for Qari Abdul Malik, Khalid, and Mudassir was held in Muridke under tight security, according to Tabish Qayyum, spokesperson for the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League, the political wing of JuD.

Qayyum, who was present at the event, stated that along with the Pakistani Army and JuD members, officials from the civil bureaucracy also attended the funeral. The prayer was led by Hafiz Abdul Rauf, who reportedly offered prayers for the safety and security of Pakistan.

The Pakistan Markazi Muslim League spokesperson claimed that Malik, Khalid, and Mudassir, believed to be affiliated with JuD, served as prayer leaders and caretakers at a local mosque. Their bodies were subsequently sent to their native areas for burial.

This development has occurred against the backdrop of Pakistan’s strong condemnation of India’s actions. Following a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) presided over by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan declared that its armed forces have been authorized to retaliate against India’s military strikes “at a time, place, and manner of its choosing” to avenge the loss of what it called innocent Pakistani lives. The NSC meeting was attended by key cabinet ministers, chief ministers, all service chiefs, and senior officers.

In a related move, Pakistan announced a 48-hour closure of its airspace for all air traffic, effective Wednesday, following India’s military strike on terror targets within its territory and PoK. Shortly after the Indian action, Pakistani aviation authorities initially closed the airspace over Islamabad and Lahore, diverting flights to Karachi. This was later extended to a nationwide closure for a precautionary period of 48 hours. The attendance of Pakistan Army personnel at the funeral prayers of individuals identified as terrorists by India is likely to further escalate tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.