By Dharmesh Prajapati

A massive controversy has emerged in Pakistan after Lashkar-e-Taiba deputy chief, Saifullah Kasuri, allegedly issued an open warning to Pakistan’s Army chief Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over any move towards recognising Israel.

Kasuri threatened Munir and Sharif, saying that any Pakistani leader attempting to establish ties with Israel would be “assassinated, destroyed and ruined.”

The remarks have raised concerns over the influence wielded by jihadist terror outfits within Pakistan and raised questions about the extent to which extremist groups continue to exert pressure on the country’s political and security establishment.

Critics argue that such threats highlight the longstanding challenge Pakistan faces in dealing with militant organisations that were once allegedly nurtured within its own ecosystem.