Speculation grows over LeT chief Hafiz Saeed being injured in attack
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A retired Indian Army official believes that the unidentified person injured during the attack that killed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Abu Qatal in Pakistan is likely Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind behind the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, prompting foreign affairs experts to suggest that Saeed could be the next target.
Major General Dhruv C Katoch (Retd.) remarked that the Pakistani military hospital’s secrecy surrounding the injured person’s identity has fuelled speculation, and some emerging reports indicate that it could be Hafiz Saeed himself.
Although India has denied any involvement in the assassination, the killing of individuals wanted in India for terror-related cases has once again led to speculation about the possible role of secret services.
Foreign affairs expert Robinder Sachdeva pointed out that Abu Qatal’s killing suggests that those tracking Hafiz Saeed and other LeT operatives are closing in, and he hinted that Saeed might meet a similar fate.
Sachdeva further suggested that Saeed is likely to have increased his security following his nephew’s assassination, and he might even seek additional protection from the Pakistani army, which is already shielding him.
Abu Qatal, who was charge-sheeted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for his involvement in the January 2023 Rajouri attacks, was shot dead on Saturday night when an unidentified assailant opened fire on his vehicle on the Mangla-Jhelum Road. Local reports indicate that an armed guard accompanying Qatal was also killed in the attack.
Katoch asserted that no terrorist in Pakistan is truly safe, as even those under the Pakistani military’s protection eventually face elimination. He suggested that whether or not Hafiz Saeed was the injured person, the broader message is clear—terrorists operating from Pakistan will continue to be hunted down.
Sachdeva echoed this sentiment, stating that the principle of “living by the sword, dying by the sword” is playing out in the case of LeT operatives, as they are being systematically eliminated.
While some analysts believe that Pakistani authorities themselves could have orchestrated the attack to shift blame onto India, others argue that the precise targeting of individuals with long-standing ties to terror activities indicates a well-planned operation.