In a recent video, Hafiz Saeed appeared disoriented, prompting speculation about his health. Some suggest this could be a genuine illness, given his age (77). Others, however, view it as a possible tactic by Pakistani agencies to portray Saeed as frail, potentially to reduce international pressure for his extradition or to justify easing restrictions on him. India has repeatedly demanded Saeed’s extradition, most recently in December 2023, but Pakistan has dismissed India’s accusations as baseless.

Recent developments suggest that Hafiz Saeed’s son, Talha Saeed, is being positioned as a potential successor to lead terror group LeT. Talha, a senior leader and head of LeT’s cleric wing, has been increasingly visible in Pakistan’s public and political spheres. In a video from May 2025, Talha addressed a rally in Lahore, claiming that his father, currently imprisoned, is “peacefully living” under state protection and accusing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of orchestrating a “drama” over the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people.

Talha Saeed’s public appearances have grown more frequent, particularly following the India-Pakistan faceoff in May 2025, where he was seen in several Pakistani cities celebrating what he called Pakistan’s “victory.” Notably, at a May 28, 2025, rally in Kasur marking Youm-e-Takbeer, Talha shared the stage with Pakistan’s Food Minister Malik Rasheed Ahmad Khan and Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, alongside LeT commander Saifullah Kasuri. The event, organized by the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), a political front for LeT, saw ministers openly embracing terrorists, with Malik Rasheed equating figures like Hafiz Saeed to Pakistan’s national identity.

Talha’s rise is not limited to rhetoric. He contested the 2024 Pakistani general elections from Lahore’s NA-122 constituency under the PMML banner, though he secured only 2,041 votes, reflecting limited electoral success. Despite this, his candidacy and public engagements signal an attempt to mainstream LeT’s ideology through political avenues. Indian intelligence agencies have identified Talha as a key figure in LeT’s operations, involved in recruitment, fundraising, and planning attacks in India and Afghanistan. He is ranked 32nd on India’s list of 57 most wanted terrorists and was designated a terrorist under India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in 2022.

The visible presence of Talha Saeed alongside Pakistani ministers and security officials raises questions about the government’s intentions. A video from May 2025 shows Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif with Talha, suggesting a level of state tolerance, if not support, for LeT’s activities. This aligns with India’s long-standing accusation that Pakistan’s ISI actively backs LeT, using it as a proxy against India. The public nature of these events, coupled with Talha’s claims that his father is under state protection, exposes a deep nexus between Pakistan’s establishment and terrorist networks.

The Pakistani government’s actions appear contradictory. While Hafiz Saeed is officially in custody, his frequent public appearances and the enhanced security provided to him—reportedly including former Special Service Group commandos and drone surveillance—suggest he enjoys significant freedom. Following the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan reportedly moved Saeed to a densely populated area in Lahore, possibly to shield him from potential Indian covert operations. This heightened security, coupled with Talha’s increasing prominence, indicates a strategic effort to maintain LeT’s influence while transitioning leadership to the next generation.

Hafiz Saeed’s Path to Terror Leadership

Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, born on June 5, 1950, in Pakistan, emerged as a pivotal figure in global terrorism through a combination of ideological fervor, strategic alliances, and institutional support. Saeed’s journey began in academia, where he earned two master’s degrees from the University of Punjab and specialized in Islamic Studies and Arabic Language at King Saud University in Saudi Arabia, where he was a gold medalist. During the early 1980s, while studying in Saudi Arabia, Saeed was influenced by Salafi scholars such as al-Uthaymin and Ibn Baz, who were involved in the Soviet-Afghan War. Inspired by their call to support the mujahideen, Saeed became deeply engaged in jihadist ideology.

In 1987, Saeed, alongside Abdullah Azzam and Zafar Iqbal, co-founded Markaz Dawa-Wal-Irshad, a group rooted in the Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadis movement. This organization gave birth to terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based terror group focused primarily on targeting India. Saeed’s close ties with Osama bin Laden during the 1980s, as well as his role in establishing LeT, solidified his position as a key orchestrator of terrorist activities.

LeT, under Saeed’s leadership, gained notoriety for its role in high-profile terror attacks, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which killed 166 people, the 2006 Mumbai train bombings, and the 2001 Indian Parliament attack. Designated a terrorist organization by the United Nations, the United States, India, and others, LeT has been supported by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), providing Saeed with protection and operational freedom. Despite being convicted in Pakistan on terror-financing charges in 2019 and sentenced to 33 years in prison in 2022, Saeed has been spotted at public events and terror launch pads, raising questions about the sincerity of his “imprisonment.”