In a shocking incident that exposes deep cracks within Pakistan’s terror infrastructure, Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Bilal Arif Salafi was shot and stabbed to death inside the Markaz Taiba complex in Muridke, near Lahore, shortly after Eid prayers on Saturday. According to sources, the Eid congregation at the Lashkar headquarters was attended by several top operatives, including Maulana Abu Zar and Maulana Abdul Rehman Abid. Moments after the prayers concluded, as Bilal Arif Salafi stepped out of the prayer area, he was attacked by two individuals.
A man opened fire at close range, while a woman repeatedly stabbed him with a dagger, ensuring fatal injuries.
Eyewitness Footage Raises Questions
Eyewitness visuals accessed exclusively show Salafi lying in a pool of blood within the compound. In the same footage, Maulana Abu Zarr, Lashkar’s terror training chief based in Muridke, is seen being physically restrained by another individual, raising further questions about internal chaos and lack of control within the outfit.
Following the attack, other Lashkar operatives rushed to the scene and transported Bilal to a hospital, but he died before reaching.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear. However, initial inputs suggest the possibility of an internal power struggle or factional rivalry within Lashkar-e-Taiba. The involvement of a woman in such a high-profile targeted killing has further intensified suspicions of a pre-planned internal hit rather than an external attack.
Salafi’s Role Within Lashkar
Bilal Arif Salafi had been associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba since 2005 and played a crucial role in fundraising operations for the group funds that were allegedly used to procure weapons and sustain terror activities.
He resided in Taiba Colony in Muridke along with other senior Lashkar commanders, indicating his significance within the organisation.
This incident once again brings into focus Pakistan’s continued patronage of terror groups, where even heavily secured headquarters are turning into battlegrounds for internal rivalries.
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