‘Munir sent Pak officers to funeral of terrorists' killed in Op Sindoor’: Jaish commander exposes army's double standard

A new controversy has arisen following the circulation of a viral video featuring Masood Ilyas Kashmiri, a senior commander of the terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).

Also Read: Watch Video: Masood Azhar's family 'torn into pieces' in Op Sindoor, admits top JeM commander

At the 38th annual Mission Mustafa conference, Masood Ilyas Kashmiri claimed that under the leadership of General Asim Munir had “sent generals to funerals” of those killed during India's Operation Sindoor, a statement that has sparked sharp reactions and raised questions about internal dynamics as well as power politics within Pakistan's military and its links to terror groups.

Watch the video here:

Disclaimer: LiveMint has not independently verified the authenticity of these videos.

The Operation Sindoor in May saw Indian armed forces carrying out precision airstrikes on terror hubs deep inside Pakistan and also PoK in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam massacre in which heavily armed Pakistani terrorists targeted tourists in Kashmir's hill resort of Pahalgam, killing 26 people and leaving India in rage and grief.

Months after the military action, JeM commander Ilyas Kashmiri, in a viral video uploaded to a YouTube channel on Tuesday, has admitted the family of Masood Azhar, the terror group's chief, was “torn into pieces” in the Indian missile strikes on May 7 on the outfit's headquarters in Bahawalpur, Pakistan.

Also Read: Operation Sindoor: How India carried out its ‘most significant' military action inside Pakistan in 5 decades

Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Indian soldiers brought Pakistan to its knees “in the blink of an eye” during Operation Sindoor, and the world saw a terrorist crying, comments coming after terror outfit JeM's commander admitted losses suffered by the family of its chief.

Earlier in May, the Union Home Minister said that Operation Sindoor didn’t just dismantle terrorist infrastructure but also debunked Pakistan’s long-standing global narrative. He noted that Pakistani army officers attending the funerals of slain terrorists the next day demonstrated “the nexus between the Pakistani Army, Pakistan, and terrorism.”

At a press briefing in New Delhi in May, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri presented a photograph showing Abdur Rauf, designated as a terrorist by the US, leading prayers at a funeral.

“The deceased”, Misri noted, “were draped in Pakistan's national flag and given state honours”.

“As far as we are concerned, the individuals eliminated at these facilities were terrorists,” Misri stated. “Giving terrorists state funerals may be a practice in Pakistan, but it doesn’t make much sense to us.”

Earlier in May, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that Operation Sindoor didn’t just “dismantle terrorist infrastructure but also debunked Pakistan’s long-standing global narrative”. He noted that Pakistani army officers attending the funerals of slain terrorists the next day demonstrated “the nexus between the Pakistani Army, Pakistan, and terrorism.”

Operation Sindoor

On May 7, Operation Sindoor was initiated in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 innocent civilians.

In February 2019, in an intelligence-led operation, India struck the biggest training camp of Jaish-e-Mohammed in Balakot. In this operation, a very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis who were being trained for fidayeen action were eliminated.

Also Read: Army's new video of Operation Sindoor shows India's ‘precision strikes on terror launchpads’ | Watch

Operation Sindoor showcased a calibrated, tri-services response marked by precision, professionalism, and clear purpose. Conceived as a punitive and targeted campaign, it aimed to dismantle terrorist infrastructure across the Line of Control and deeper within Pakistan.

The Indian Armed Forces executed coordinated strikes, successfully hitting key terrorist installations.

More than just a tactical victory, Operation Sindoor sent a powerful strategic message, demonstrating India’s capability for high-precision, joint military operations across land, air, and sea.

(With inputs from agencies)