Pakistan’s prime minister declines questions on terrorism and Hafiz Saeed at UN
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declined to answer reporters’ questions about Pakistan’s record on terrorism and the prosecution of Hafiz Saeed as he arrived in New York for the UN General Assembly. The exchange comes amid renewed scrutiny of counterterrorism measures and Pakistan’s updated list of wanted militants.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declined to answer questions about terrorism and Hafiz Saeed as he arrived at the United Nations headquarters in New York before his scheduled address to the General Assembly. An Indian reporter asked when Pakistan would stop harbouring terrorists and when it would prosecute Saeed, who India identifies as a mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Mr.
Sharif waved to reporters and walked away without responding. Saeed founded the proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba and is designated as a terrorist under India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. He was also named as Accused No.
8 in a supplementary chargesheet filed by India’s National Investigation Agency in connection with the April 2025 Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir. Saeed is serving a prison sentence in Pakistan in terrorism-financing cases. India has repeatedly sought action against him over his alleged role in terror activities, including the Mumbai attacks.
The prime minister’s refusal came a year after he used his UN address to present Pakistan as a frontline participant in the international fight against terrorism. His latest appearance also coincides with renewed attention to Pakistan’s counterterrorism record ahead of a Financial Action Task Force plenary scheduled for October. Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency recently issued an updated 2026 Red Book of wanted terrorists and increased the bounty for Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar.
Pakistani authorities say Azhar fled to Afghanistan, while Indian intelligence assessments cited in the material say he may be in Pakistan. The updated list has also drawn attention because some details, including photographs and affiliations, were reportedly removed from entries connected to the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Mr.
Sharif is expected to address international and West Asian issues, including the US-Iran conflict, in his UN speech. His silence at the entrance, however, has brought renewed focus to questions about Pakistan’s handling of militant groups and individuals wanted by India.
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