Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jamaat-ud-Dawa founder Hafiz Saeed has openly warned India of more terror attacks, denouncing it as a terrorist country even as his supporters chanted 'jihad' (holy war) against the nuclear power.
At a rally in Islamabad on 6 September, the LeT chief's supporter chanted that jihad against India would continue until Jammu & Kashmir is in Pakistan's control.
India has accused the 64-year-old LeT leader as the mastermind behind the 26/11 attacks that killed more than 160 people and injured over 300. The United States has also announced a $10 million reward for information leading to his arrest, and the United Nations has placed him on terrorist list besides imposing sanctions on his group.
According to Reuters, about 10,000 supporters gathered to attend the rally of Saeed who openly made provocative statements against India.
The LeT chief declared that sacrifices would be made for the liberation of Jammu & Kashmir even as his supporters chanted slogan "whoever is a friend of India is a traitor," according to the report.
He also said that God is happy with their motives as both the United States and India are unhappy with Pakistan.
"The United States and India are very angry with us. This means God is happy with us," Saeed told the crowd as supporters chanted "Jihad!" ("Holy war") and "War will continue until the liberation of Kashmir". He did not use the word "jihad" himself, reported Reuters.
He criticised India for giving state honours to Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh who died in a Pakistani jail earlier this year.
"He was a terrorist. How can the Indian government give state honours to a terrorist? This means the Indian government and army are terrorists," Reuters quoted Saeed as saying.
Hamid Gul, an ex ISI intelligence service chief, also said at the rally that waging war against India would be a privilege.
"They should know there are a lot of people here who are waiting for the conquest of India," Hamid Gul, a former chief of the ISI intelligence service, told the crowd. "It will be our privilege to take part in this war."
India had asked Pakistan to arrest Saeed after the Mumbai terror attacks but no action has been taken by the Pakistani government till date. The LeT founder continues to live a free life and organises rallies often.
Meanwhile, police have arrested two LeT militants from Srinagar a couple of days ahead of the much-talked-about musical concert of India-born orchestra conductor Zubin Mehta in Srinagar's Shalimar Bagh. An AK rifle and a pistol were recovered from the militants.
