Islamabad: In a startling admission, Pakistani Senator Sherry Rehman acknowledged Islamabad’s historical ties to terrorist organizations during a tense interview with Sky News journalist Yalda Hakim. The discussion, which initially focused on Pakistan’s removal from the FATF grey list, took a sharp turn when Hakim pressed Rehman on the country’s alleged support for terrorism.
“We are fighting terrorism. Pakistan is a changed country now,” Rehman insisted. However, when questioned about figures like Sajid Mir, a key mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, she conceded, “You’re citing a long history of engaging with terrorism one way or the other… either fighting it or otherwise.”
The exchange grew more confrontational as Rehman attempted to deflect blame, asking, “Are we responsible for all 100 insurgencies running in India?” When challenged about Pakistan’s prolonged presence on the FATF grey list until 2022, she responded, “We have a history of engaging one way or another… where are we taking it? It’s a constant snipping about what Pakistan did in the past.”
Hakim also raised India’s Operation Sindoor, which targeted Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad camps, as well as Brigade 313—an Al-Qaeda-linked group operating from Pakistan. Rehman dismissed the claims, saying, “I don’t know who told you this, but I can produce any number of pages saying all this,” even proposing a “digital dossier” to counter allegations of Pakistan’s terror ties.
This is not the first time a Pakistani leader has admitted to the country’s terror links. In May, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif openly stated that Pakistan had backed militant groups for decades, including at the behest of Western powers like the U.S. and UK.
