The Pakistani armed forces have claimed that Hafiz Abdur Rauf, a US-designated global terrorist, who led the funeral of the terrorists killed in Indian airstrikes during Operation Sindoor is an ordinary citizen.
Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Pakistan's Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR), categorically denied that the man seen in the image was a terrorist. Instead, he was described as a religious leader and "a common family man."
The military spokesperson even presented what was claimed to be the individual's National Identity Card (CNIC), naming him as an official of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), specifically, its "Welfare Wing Incharge."
Who Is Hafiz Abrur Rauf
The man identified by Pakistan as a cleric is Hafiz Abdur Rauf, a senior leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and head of the now-banned Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), both of which are designated terrorist entities under US and United Nations sanctions. The CNIC number (35202-5400413-9), name, and date of birth (March 25, 1973) released by the Pakistani military match exactly with details in the US Department of Treasury sanctions lists.
Pakistan's characterisation of Rauf as an innocent preacher is the latest instance in a long history of downplaying or denying links between state institutions and internationally designated terrorists. During the funeral, held in Muridke, near Lahore, several high-ranking officers of the Pakistan Army stood behind Rauf as he led the ceremony. Coffins wrapped in Pakistan's national flag were carried in military protocol, suggesting institutional backing.
In a press briefing in New Delhi recently, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had held up the viral photograph and highlighted the contradictions between facts and what the Pakistani military leadership says.
The Funeral
The funeral, held on May 8 in Muridke, did not resemble a private religious affair. Images and video footage show military protocol, state security presence, and formal participation by Pakistani officials.
"They claim that only civilians were killed in the strikes on the 7th of May. We have made the point very clearly that all attacks on the morning of 7th May were against carefully selected terrorist infrastructure, terrorist targets?" Mr Misri had said at a press briefing.
According to news agency IANS, the photograph shows Rauf surrounded by uniformed military officers, among them Lt Gen Fayyaz Hussain Shah (Corps Commander, IV Corps, Lahore), Maj Gen Rao Imran Sartaj (GOC, 11 Infantry Division), Brig Mohammad Furqan Shabbir (Commander, 15 Hybrid Mechanised Brigade), Punjab's Inspector General of Police Dr Usman Anwar, and provincial MLA Malik Sohaib Ahmed Bherth.
In an apparent attempt to deflect criticism, Pakistani officials appeared to conflate Hafiz Abdur Rauf with Abdul Rauf Azhar, brother of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar.
Terror History
Rauf Azhar, also Masood Azhar's brother, has a well-documented record of terrorism planning, including orchestrating the 1999 IC-814 hijacking, the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, and the 2016 Pathankot and 2019 Pulwama strikes. In contrast, Hafiz Abdur Rauf has been integral to the financial and propaganda operations of LeT since at least the early 2000s.
According to the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), Rauf has served in several key roles within LeT. These include Director of Public Service in 2003, Director of Humanitarian Relief in 2008, and operational head of LeT's charity fronts, initially Idara Khidmat-e-Khalq (IKK), later renamed Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF).
As early as 2003, Rauf was involved in publicly defending the work of LeT-affiliated organisations, despite a formal ban imposed by Pakistan's own government. In interviews given to Pakistani news outlets and on LeT's official website, he claimed responsibility for managing fundraising and disaster relief under the guise of welfare operations. These activities, according to the US, were designed to provide cover for LeT's terrorist activities and evade international scrutiny.
In 2009, Rauf led a fundraising delegation under the FIF alias to Bajaur, Pakistan, where LeT was active in both relief and recruitment.
On November 24, 2010, the United States imposed sanctions on Rauf and FIF. The sanctions were the result of detailed dossiers shared by Indian intelligence, particularly after the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed over 170 people. The UN Sanctions Committee also lists both FIF and LeT, as well as Rauf's close associate and LeT founder Hafiz Muhammad Saeed.
Despite this, Rauf has continued to operate within Pakistan with apparent impunity.
