Islamabad: Abu Musa Kashmiri, a prominent commander of the terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba, has commented on the ongoing Iran-US meeting in Islamabad. He stated that this meeting enhances Pakistan's stature globally, but emphasized the need to remember its foundational issues. Kashmiri portrayed the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam as a significant achievement, claiming that the ensuing conflict between India and Pakistan is the reason for the current high-profile discussions taking place in Islamabad.
A video featuring Kashmiri has surfaced, where he asserts that Pakistan's current position in mediating between the US and Iran is entirely due to the Pahalgam attack in Kashmir.
Kashmiri claimed that the Pahalgam incident has elevated Pakistan's status worldwide, allowing it to mediate between the US and Iran. He suggested that following this meeting, Pakistan's influence will grow further, compelling Israel to engage with Islamabad, and eventually, India will have to follow suit.
In April of the previous year, a terrorist attack in Pahalgam resulted in the deaths of 26 individuals. India has held Pakistan accountable for this attack and retaliated with Operation Sindoor, targeting locations within Pakistan. Conversely, Pakistan has denied any involvement in these attacks. Thus, Kashmiri's video serves as a sort of admission regarding the Pahalgam incident.
Kashmiri has a history of making inflammatory statements regarding Jammu and Kashmir and India. Earlier this year, he made remarks inciting violence based on religious grounds.
While Kashmiri's statements are not new, their timing is particularly notable, coinciding with the presence of top US and Iranian leaders in Islamabad. Pakistan has positioned itself as a 'peace broker' and a nation striving to halt conflicts. The emergence of a terrorist figure making such statements raises serious doubts about the credibility of Islamabad's peace initiatives.