Hafiz Saeed pressuring Pakistan govt to retaliate: Intelligence alert

CHANDIGARH: 26/11 Mumbai attacks mastermind and Lashkar-e-Toiba co-founder Hafiz Saeed has put pressure on the Pakistan government to

retaliate

, following strike by Indian Army or to carry out attacks by terror outfits, according to an alert by the Indian intelligence agencies.

Sources in the intelligence bureau (IB) said that security around vital defence installations across Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh have been asked to be beefed up.

A top official said that Hafiz, after his Friday prayers, told a gathering in Faisalabad, Pakistan, that "he has asked the Pakistan government to reply to the Indian Army attacks in parts of Azaad Kashmir (PoK)".

"He also egged on his Pakistani jawans to conduct surgical strikes right away to avenge martyrdom. This clearly shows that there are dozen of his men who were killed at those terror launchpads" said an official.

According to officials, in his address, Saeed also invoked the Uri terror attack and "warned that he and his men" would continue to seek freedom of Kashmir through "destruction of India".

The agencies disclosed that Saeed and terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahudeen have got more active in the last 12 hours with the ISI to send a fresh group of terrorists or use sleeper cells in metropolises around coming festive season of Dusshera and Diwali.

"They had first showed signs of strain after India threatened to end Indus Treaty and forced their defence minister to use nuke threat. We see the possibility of

sleeper cell

being activated more. Pakistan would be wary of sending any new group of terrorists as this will be an admission of retaliation to the strikes carried by India," said official.