LeT leaders attend funeral of former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar’s brother, video emerges

KARACHI: The leadership of banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) attended the funeral of Shahid Akhtar, brother of former Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhtar. Shahid Akhtar died of a heart attack.

Deputy chief Saifullah Kasuri, who regularly makes anti-India remarks, Inam ur Rehman, president of Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), Lashkar-e-Taiba's political front, Deputy General Secretary Abdullah Tour, and Zonal General Secretary Hafiz Umar were among those who attended the funeral in Islamabad.

Shoaib Akhtar hugging some of them is also visible in the video released by the Markazi Muslim League. It is also clear in the video that all of them are praying tributes to the dead. The video clearly shows Saifullah Kasuri saying that the army invited him to the funeral.

The footage has drawn widespread criticism against Pakistan since it was released. The criticism is that the footage is evidence of the freedom terrorists enjoy in Pakistan. Critics also say the footage underscores the safe environment and freedom of action enjoyed by extremists in Pakistan. Although the footage has become a major controversy, neither Shoaib Akhtar nor Pakistan have yet officially responded.