Top Aide Of Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Spotted At Office Of Hafiz Saeed’s Banned Group

Pakistan Minister’s Visit To Hafiz Saeed-Linked Party Office Triggers Backlash.

A visit by Pakistani Minister Talal Chaudhry — a close aide of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif — to the office of a political group associated with Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed has sparked sharp criticism and renewed scrutiny of the government’s ties with banned organisations.

Chaudhry, who serves as Minister of State for Interior and is also a senator, visited the Faisalabad headquarters of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML) on Thursday. The PMML is widely recognised as the political front of the proscribed Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), founded by Saeed.

According to a statement issued by the PMML, Chaudhry held detailed discussions with the group’s senior leadership on Pakistan’s political situation and the need for national unity. The statement said both sides agreed on the importance of political stability, stronger democratic institutions, and cooperative efforts to address the country’s challenges.

However, the visit has raised eyebrows as it marks one of the rare instances of a federal minister engaging directly with members of a group linked to a UN-designated terrorist. Analysts view it as a possible signal of quiet rehabilitation for the PMML under the current government.

Hafiz Saeed, convicted in multiple terror-financing cases, is currently serving a prison sentence in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail. Despite this, reports suggest that the PMML has been growing more active in Punjab, particularly since the Pahalgam terror attack in May that killed 26 people and escalated tensions between India and Pakistan.

Earlier this year, Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan attended a PMML rally in Kasur district, where he publicly lauded Saeed — a move that also drew public criticism.

Chaudhry’s engagement has now intensified concerns that groups linked to banned outfits are being given political legitimacy under the guise of “dialogue and inclusivity.” Critics say the meeting undermines Pakistan’s commitment to combating extremism, while government allies have attempted to play down the visit, calling it a “routine political interaction.”