In a series of targeted strikes carried out under Operation Sindoor, India hit nine terror-linked sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK), killing more than 80 terrorists. But what has drawn global attention is not just the operation itself but the response seen across the border, where Pakistan Army personnel and government officials were seen openly participating in funerals of the slain militants.
One of the most striking visuals came from Muridke, the known headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Here, Hafiz Abdul Rauf, a senior figure within LeT and brother of UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed, led funeral prayers for three individuals killed in the Indian strikes. These men Qari Abdul Malik, Khalid, and Mudassir were reportedly members of the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) and served as clerics and caretakers at a mosque destroyed in the attack.
What stunned observers was the presence of uniformed Pakistani Army personnel, police officers, civil servants, and JuD members at the funeral. They stood shoulder to shoulder, offering ceremonial support as Rauf led the final rites. Coffins were wrapped in the national flag of Pakistan an act seen by many as symbolic endorsement.
Videos Went Viral on Social Media
Footage from Muzaffarabad in POK and other strike-hit regions also showed military trucks transporting bodies and soldiers participating in burial ceremonies. These videos, which have circulated widely online, were shared by Indian political and defense voices, fueling outrage.
The Indian operation came in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where 26 civilians were killed. The airstrikes targeted known terror hubs in Sawai Nalla, Kotli, Sarjal, Bhimber, Gulpur, Mehmoona Joya, Muridke, and Bahawalpur the last being a critical JeM base.
In Bahawalpur, Indian missiles reportedly struck a madrasa complex linked to JeM founder Maulana Masood Azhar. According to BBC Urdu, Azhar confirmed the deaths of 10 family members and four aides in the strike.
While India has framed the operation as a precise, intelligence-driven counter-terror move, the funeral participation by Pakistani state actors has once again brought to light the deep-rooted ties between Pakistan’s military establishment and extremist organisations.
