A Pakistani religious preacher has claimed that Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed sent around 10,000 young men to Jammu and Kashmir, bringing fresh attention to Pakistan-based militant networks and their alleged role in terrorism in the region.
The claim was made by Pakistani religious speaker Nasir Madani during a speech at a gathering in Bahawalnagar on August 14. A video of the speech has since circulated on social media.
While speaking in support of Hafiz Saeed, Madani described him as someone who had made sacrifices and claimed that he had sent 10,000 young men to Kashmir. He also referred to the recruits as “commandos”. The statement has renewed focus on long-standing Indian allegations that Pakistan-based militant groups have been involved in sending fighters across the Line of Control.
Hafiz Saeed is the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based militant organisation accused of involvement in several major terror attacks in India. He has remained a central figure in India's counter-terrorism investigations.
The United Nations designated Lashkar-e-Taiba as a terrorist organisation in 2005. The United States later designated Hafiz Saeed as a global terrorist. He has also been accused by Indian authorities of playing a key role in the planning and financing of terrorist activities, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
The Mumbai attacks began on November 26, 2008, when 10 armed terrorists entered the city by sea. Over the next four days, multiple locations were targeted, leaving 166 people dead and hundreds injured.
Saeed's name has also emerged in connection with the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people were killed. A Jammu court has reportedly issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against him in connection with the case.
During India's Operation Sindoor last year, strikes were also carried out against locations linked to terrorist organisations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. One of the targets was the Lashkar-e-Taiba headquarters in Muridke.
Madani's latest remarks have once again drawn attention to the alleged recruitment and movement of militants linked to Kashmir. However, his claim regarding the number of fighters could not be independently verified.
