Recently, DGISPR, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Choudhary during his speech said “Hindustan’s Modi says they will stop your water. If you stop our water we will stop your breathing”.

This was a quote used from terror group Lashkar e Tayiba’s Chief’s speech a few years ago. Mohd Saeed, LeT chief, had threatened to target India with terror attacks when India had said that it needs to reconsider the unfair Indus water treaty.

But why did DGISPR quote a terrorist?

In a striking irony, Pakistan’s military narrative on the India-Pakistan conflict is shaped by Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the current Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), whose father, Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood, is a UN-listed terrorist with ties to al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. As Chaudhry frequently portrays Pakistan as a victim of terrorism, his familial connection to a figure deeply involved in aiding jihadist groups with nuclear expertise raises serious questions about the military’s leadership and its complex relationship with extremism.

A Father’s Dark Past

Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood, once a prominent nuclear scientist in Pakistan’s nuclear program, was placed on the UN Security Council’s al-Qaida Sanctions Committee list on December 24, 2001, for his role in supporting “acts or activities of Usama bin Laden, al-Qaida, and the Taliban.” Through an organization called Ummah Tameer-e-Nau (UTN), Mahmood facilitated the transfer of sensitive knowledge on nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons to jihadist groups. His actions, which included meetings with bin Laden and Taliban leaders, sent shockwaves through the international intelligence community.

A 2009 New York Times Magazine report highlighted Mahmood’s “religious intensity, combined with his sympathy for Islamic extremism,” which alarmed his colleagues in Pakistan’s scientific and military circles. Documents recovered from UTN revealed plans for kidnappings and basic outlines for nuclear weapon development, underscoring the gravity of his actions. During one meeting, an al-Qaida associate sought Mahmood’s guidance on using nuclear material, to which he reportedly provided detailed insights into the infrastructure and potential impact of such weapons.

Mahmood’s career included significant contributions to Pakistan’s nuclear ambitions, notably collaborating with Abdul Qadeer Khan on the country’s uranium enrichment program and later working on plutonium bomb development. However, his extremist ideology led to his early retirement and eventual arrest in 2001, following the discovery of his ties to al-Qaida.

U.S. Alarm and Global Concerns

The revelation of Mahmood’s activities sparked panic within U.S. intelligence agencies, particularly due to his expertise as a key figure in Pakistan’s nuclear program. The prospect of nuclear know-how falling into the hands of al-Qaida operatives heightened fears of catastrophic terrorist attacks. The UN sanctions listing underscored Mahmood’s role in “participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating” terror activities, cementing his status as a global security threat.

Despite his father’s notorious legacy, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has ascended to a prominent position within the Pakistan Army, leading its information warfare efforts as ISPR chief. His role involves shaping public perception and countering criticism of Pakistan’s military, often framing the country as a victim of terrorism.

As per the Annual threat assessment released by US intelligence community, March 2025, Lashkar e Tayiba/LeT and Al qaeeda have direct links. So are we surprised that Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Choudhary quoted LeT chief’s quote when his own father Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood had direct links to Al Qaeeda?

LeT- Al qaeeda- Pakistan Army!!!

Its a well known network. This is why Osama Bin Laden was killed in a secret US mission inside Pakistan.

Its evident that Pakistan Army still retains its Al Qaeeda links. Is this not proof enough to declare Pakistan a terrorist nation???