Islamabad: Abu Qatal, the most wanted terrorist of terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has been killed in Pakistan. Unknown gunmen killed Qatal on Saturday night in Jhelum, Punjab province of Pakistan. Qatal, a close associate of Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed and a key member of the organization, was the mastermind of many attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. Qatal played an important role in the attack on a bus of pilgrims in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir. Indian security agencies were looking for him for a long time.
Who was Abu Qatal?
Qatal was Hafiz Saeed's nephew. He was the self-proclaimed commander of Lashkar's Khureta launch pad in Kotli, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK). Under his leadership, this camp became the center of the terrorist group's operation. Rajouri-Poonch areas were targeted from this terrorist camp. Qatal was directly involved in plotting the infiltration of terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir and dropping weapons through drones.
Hafiz Saeed's confidant
Hafiz Saeed himself appointed Abu Qatal as the Chief Operational Commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba. On the orders of Hafiz Saeed, he used to carry out major attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. He used to report directly to Sajid Jatt, who lives in Rawalpindi. India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) had also named Abu Katal in the chargesheet for his involvement in the 2023 Rajouri attack.
On January 1, 2023, a terrorist attack was carried out targeting civilians in Dhangri village of Rajouri. An IED blast took place the next day after the attack. Seven people, including two children, were killed and several others were seriously injured in the attacks. The NIA had filed a chargesheet against five accused, including three Pakistan-based handlers of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba outfit, in the Rajouri attack case.
