New Delhi: India’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Vikram Doraiswami, presented a compelling piece of evidence to support India’s longstanding claims that Pakistan actively sponsors terrorism. During a press briefing in New Delhi, Doraiswami held up a photograph showing top Pakistani military officials alongside Hafiz Abdur Rauf, a U.S.-sanctioned terrorist and brother of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) founder Masood Azhar. The image, taken at a funeral for terrorists killed during Operation Sindoor, shows Pakistani military brass standing behind Rauf, with Pakistani flags draped over the coffins of the deceased militants.
“This photograph is undeniable proof of Pakistan’s complicity in sponsoring terrorism,” Doraiswami said. “This person here is Hafiz Abdur Rauf, a U.S.-sanctioned terrorist. Look at the people behind him — Pakistani military officers — and notice the Pakistani national flags covering the coffins. If Pakistan is giving state funerals to terrorists, what does that say about the system that supports such actions?”
The photograph, shown to international media, was presented by India as concrete visual evidence of Pakistan’s ongoing support for terrorism, particularly from its military establishment. Doraiswami’s comments were made in the context of rising tensions between India and Pakistan, following India’s coordinated airstrikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation for the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives on April 22.
The Indian airstrikes targeted nine major terrorist hubs, including the Jaish-e-Mohammed headquarters in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, a key location believed to be central to Pakistan’s support of terrorist activities. Following these strikes, the BJP released a social media graphic depicting Abdul Rauf Azhar — brother of Jaish-e-Mohammed’s leader — with the word “eliminated” stamped across his image. Abdul Rauf Azhar has been implicated in several high-profile terror incidents, including the 1999 Indian Airlines hijacking, the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, and the 2016 Pathankot airbase assault.
Doraiswami also highlighted Pakistan’s history of undermining international investigations into terrorist activities linked to its soil. He pointed to the 2016 Pathankot attack, where India allowed Pakistani investigators to visit the site, but Pakistan failed to reciprocate the cooperation. The High Commissioner also referenced the 2008 Mumbai attacks, where Pakistan ignored or misused the extensive evidence provided by India, further complicating efforts to expose the country’s involvement in terrorist activities.
This photo and the ensuing statements have added fuel to the ongoing diplomatic tensions between the two nations, with India calling out Pakistan for its role in harboring and supporting terrorism.
