Terrorism and Pakistan: An Inextricable Link
Recent revelations have further exposed the deep and inseparable ties between terrorism and Pakistan. A shocking piece of information has come to light: the son of a senior Pakistani military official is the offspring of an internationally sanctioned terrorist.
The current Director-General of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, is the son of Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood, a nuclear scientist designated as a global terrorist by the United Nations.
Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood played a pivotal role in Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program, contributing to uranium enrichment and plutonium-based bomb development. Educated in the UK, Mahmood was honored by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif with Pakistan’s highest civilian award, Sitara-i-Imtiaz. Despite his scientific credentials, Mahmood is accused of aiding terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda and the Taliban by providing nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons expertise. The UN Security Council has listed him as a sanctioned terrorist.
Reports also suggest that Mahmood founded the “Ummah Tameer-e-Nau” (UTN), an organization through which he allegedly supported Al-Qaeda’s Osama bin Laden and the Taliban with funding and sensitive weapons-related knowledge. He is said to have met with Taliban leader Mullah Omar in 2001 and discussed nuclear weapons technology. Though arrested under pressure from the United States, Pakistan released him, claiming he lacked the necessary expertise to build nuclear weapons independently.
His son, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, now serves as Pakistan Army’s official spokesperson. His statements reveal Pakistan’s continued ideological alignment with militant Islamic principles. He openly describes India as an adversary and justifies Pakistan’s military operations under Islamic slogans like “Iman, Taqwa, Jihad fi Sabilillah” (Faith, Piety, Jihad in the way of Allah).
Pakistan’s military chief, General Asim Munir — himself the son of a fundamentalist Islamic cleric — has advocated passing on sectarian ideology to future generations, asserting that Kashmir is the “nerve center” of Pakistan’s strategic interests.
Within a week of General Munir’s statements, a brutal terrorist attack took place in Bahalkam, killing 26 people, including a Nepali tourist. Indian intelligence conclusively identified Pakistan’s involvement in this act of terrorism.
In response, India launched “Operation Sindhu,” a military campaign that successfully targeted nine terrorist camps in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, neutralizing over 100 terrorists. Despite these decisive actions, Pakistan continues to spread misinformation through its media channels, denying its direct involvement while glorifying militant operations.
Pakistan’s military openly names its cross-border operations with Islamic terms, labeling them as “Punyannam Marsus” — a code phrase meaning “Iron Wall” — which signifies their religiously motivated military strategy against India.
The fact that the son of an internationally recognized terrorist leads Pakistan’s military communications epitomizes the country’s institutional link to terrorism. The global community must recognize that Pakistan’s state apparatus is deeply intertwined with militant extremism and terrorism.
