Just days before Lashkar-e-Taiba / Jamaat-ud-Dawa leader Hafiz Saeed was charged by Faisalbad police with preaching jihad and raising money for terrorist activities, he was the guest of a senior Pakistani military commander in Rawalpindi. The Times of India reports:
Two FIRs [first information requests] against Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed and “restrictions” on his movements may not be more than eyewash. The 26/11 [Mumbai attack] mastermind remains a valuable “asset” for Pakistan’s military establishment and was an esteemed guest at an iftar hosted by the army’s 10th corps. ( Watch Video )
The JuD boss, who is also the head of the terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, is understood to have been present at the iftar held on September 12. The 10th corps is headquartered in Rawalpindi and is seen to be responsible for the Kashmir sector with a role in pushing infiltrators across the Line of Control into J&K [Jammu and Kashmir]. The LeT is a major recruiter of jihadis sent into J&K.
The commander of the X Corps (10th Corps) is Lieutenant General Tahir Mahmood. A reliable US intelligence source tells me that Tahir is one of several senior Pakistani generals who sympathizes with terror groups such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Taliban. Tahir is reportedly one of several generals who embraced Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud during the crisis with India late last year after the Mumbai assault.
Mandeep Singh Bajwa at Orbat.com agrees.
“Tahir is one of those who view the TTP [Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan or the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan] as strategic assets,” Mandeep said in an email conversation. “Assets to be used in whatever way. To be projected to the US as enemies and thereby bring in aid. Or to be used against infidels.”
Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.
6 Comments
sigh…not good…not good at all.
No matter what India will always remain enemy number one for Pakistan. India has helped dismember Pakistan in 1971 and has always harmed Pakistan. It has occupied Siachin glacier which does not belong to it. It only wants to harm its small neighbours. Just inquire from the other neighbours not Pakistan but from Nepal, Bangladesh Sri lanka what they feel about India;s behaviour and arrogance when dealing with their neighbours. Have you interviewed the general populace of these countries to find about India;s behaviour.
USA is the most unreliable friend for which Pakistan has been watered to fight Russians. They left Afghanistan in 1989 and returned in 2001, why should Pakistan rely on USA for its own safety. Even if they stay they are arming India itself with all its hilt? What a friend to have which is arming your greatest enemy and Pakistan is now virtually fighting on behalf of USA against the Taliban!!!
Moreover, USA will again leave Afghanistan so what should Pakistan wait for it to leave and leave Pakistan at the behest of its greatest enemy India. For which the nuclear deterrent is the only protection for Pakistan right now!!
Pakistan has to look at its own interests first. Now India is ready to try and break up rest of Pakistan by subverting Baluchistan through Afghanistan. This is a proven fact and Pakistan Government has provided facts to the Indian Government most recently. What should Pakistan do sit on its toes and wait for India to destroy rest of Pakistan. No Pakistan has to be well prepared and leave no loopholes for the future.
As for Taliban will take care of this problem as the general population has risen against them and the propaganda that they are taking over Pakistan’s capital is the thing of the past. In future Taliban have no role to offer in the politics of Pakistan.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
Only, the ‘Good’ here is the the US dollar which are shipped in quantities to this ally. My point is simple: the US paid for that Iftar dinner. Kerry-Lugar is set to chuck more at them.
Oh what a smart war Obama is fighting!!
The US and India need to close ranks and give these guys a run for their money. The Pak army is part of the problem, not the solution. Chuck Kerry-Lugar out of the window.
Sounds like the Pakistanis have discarded the last fig leaf of plausible deniability at this point.
Something is very rotten in the state of Pakistan.
General Mahmood is one of the most islamistic Generals of the entire Pakistani Military!
He opposed Musharraf fiercely in 2001 when Pakistan decided to back the War on Terror.
ratee
As for Taliban will take care of this problem as the general population has risen against them
Are you sure about that?
Please provide a link and documentation showing that the general population of Pakistan has risen against the Taliban in the Quetta area.
————————————————————
India has helped dismember Pakistan in 1971 and has always harmed Pakistan.
There were serious problems between Eastern Pakistan (currently Bangladesh) and Western Pakistan (currently Pakistan) several decades before 1971.
Bengali Language Movement
What about the harm that the Western Pakistan Army did to the civilian population of Eastern Pakistan (Bangladesh) in 1971?
Bangladesh Atrocities (1971)
Don’t worry about the details…
Pakistan is always a victim and never does any harm to others.