New Delhi:
Pakistani authorities are asserting that Hafiz Abdul Rauf, a terrorist designated by the US, is merely an ordinary citizen. He is said to have led the funeral for those killed in Indian airstrikes during Operation Sindoah.
Lt. Col. Ahmed Shawdry, the spokesperson for the Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) in Pakistan, has denied any claims that the individual in question is a terrorist. Instead, he characterized Rauf as a “common family man,” a religious leader.
A military representative displayed what they claimed was Rauf’s national identity card and indicated that he was an official for the Pakistan Markazi Muslim Federation (PMML), specifically part of its welfare wing.
Who is Hafiz Abdul Rauf?
Rauf, identified as a cleric by Pakistan, is a senior figure in Lashkar-e-Taiba (LET) and leads the Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF). The information on the displayed ID, including the number and his date of birth (March 25, 1973), corresponds with details from the US Treasury’s sanctions list.
This portrayal of Rauf as an innocent cleric is a continuation of Pakistan’s long-standing history of denying ties between state institutions and globally recognized terrorists. During the funeral in Muridke, near Lahore, several high-ranking military officials were seen accompanying Rauf, further suggesting official support as the casket, draped in the Pakistani flag, was carried out in military protocol.
At a recent press conference in New Delhi, Foreign Secretary Vikram Mithri presented a photo that underscored the discrepancies between reality and the statements made by Pakistani military leaders.
About the Funeral
The May 8th funeral in Muridke was not a simple religious occasion. Visual evidence shows military involvement, state security presence, and formal participation from Pakistani officials.
“They assert that only innocent civilians died in the May 7 strike,” Mithri pointed out. “They clearly stated that the assaults were directed at strategically chosen terrorist targets.”
According to reports from IANS, a photo shows Rauf among military personnel, including Anwar and provincial MLA Marikso Hybu Ahmedvath.
In an effort to deflect criticism, Pakistani authorities seemed to conflate Rauf with his brother, Abdul Rauf Azhar, who is the head of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JEM).
The Terrorism Background
Rauf Azhar’s brother, Masood Azhar, has a notorious history involving significant terrorist acts, like the 1999 IC-814 hijacking and the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, along with the Pathankot incident in 2016 and the Pulwama attacks in 2019. Meanwhile, Hafiz Abdul Rauf has been pivotal in LET’s financial and publicity efforts since at least the early 2000s.
The US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) cites Rauf’s various roles in LET, including positions like Director of Public Services in 2003 and Director of Humanitarian Relief in 2008. He was also a director of LET’s charitable fronts, initially known as Idara Khidmat-e-Khalq (IKK) and later renamed the Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF).
Despite a formal ban from Pakistan’s government, Rauf has publicly defended LET’s activities, claiming to manage fundraising and disaster relief under the guise of welfare. The US maintains that these efforts are a cover for terrorist activities.
In 2009, Rauf led a fundraising delegation posing as FIF representatives in Bajaurs, Pakistan. On November 24, 2010, the US imposed sanctions on Rauf and the FIF, following comprehensive information provided by India’s intelligence agencies, especially after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which resulted in over 170 fatalities. The UN Sanctions Committee has also listed both FIF and LET, including Rauf’s close associates and founder Hafiz Muhammad Saeed.
Yet, Rauf seemingly continues to operate in Pakistan without facing significant consequences.
