Yasin Malik Claims Manmohan Singh Thanked Him for Meeting Hafiz Saeed
Yasin Malik, jailed leader of the JKLF, has filed an affidavit in the Delhi High Court stating that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed gratitude to him after Malik’s 2006 meeting with Hafiz Saeed, founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Role of Intelligence Bureau
Malik claims senior officials in the Intelligence Bureau, including then-Special Director V. K. Joshi, asked him to meet Saeed during a Pakistan visit after the 2005 Kashmir earthquake. He says the meeting was part of a back-channel peace initiative led by the UPA government. After returning, he says he briefed Manmohan Singh and National Security Advisor M. K. Narayanan.
Government Reaction & Political Fallout
The BJP has responded strongly, calling Malik’s statement “shocking” and raising questions about the UPA government’s handling of national security and back-channel diplomacy.
Context & Legal Implications
Malik is serving a life sentence following conviction in a terror funding case under UAPA. The affidavit is submitted during a legal process in which the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has sought to enhance his sentence. These fresh claims could have political and legal consequences, should they be taken into account in the court of law.
