New Delhi: Pakistan has once again come under intense scrutiny after several internationally wanted terrorists were seen attending the funeral of senior Al Badr commander Arjumand Gulzar Dar, also known as Hamza Burhan, in Islamabad. The gathering has triggered renewed debate over the presence and activities of extremist networks operating openly within the country.
Among those seen at the funeral were Syed Salahuddin, the chief of Hizbul Mujahideen and a US designated global terrorist, along with Bakht Zameen Khan, head of the banned militant outfit Al-Badr. Videos and photographs circulating online showed heavy security arrangements at the funeral, including armed militants carrying assault rifles and forming security cordons around senior extremist figures.
Hamza Burhan, a native of Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir, was allegedly involved in building militant recruitment and funding networks linked to Al Badr. Indian security agencies had accused him of radicalising youth, facilitating terror financing and expanding militant operations in the Kashmir Valley. He was designated a terrorist in India in 2022.
Burhan had reportedly been living in Pakistan occupied Kashmir under a different identity and was said to be associated with a private educational institution in Muzaffarabad. He was shot dead by unidentified gunmen outside the college premises earlier this week. According to local reports, he sustained multiple gunshot injuries and later died in hospital.
The funeral visuals have once again drawn attention to allegations regarding Pakistan’s links with extremist organisations. The appearance of high profile militant leaders under visible armed protection has added to concerns over the continued existence of terror infrastructure within the country.
The incident also comes amid a series of mysterious killings targeting wanted militants in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir over the past few years, creating growing anxiety among extremist groups operating in the region.
