Abu Qatal Sindhi, a senior commander of the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Dina City, Jhelum, on Saturday night. The attack took place between 7-8 PM while he was traveling with his driver and a security personnel. Sindhi was seated in the front seat of the vehicle, while his security guard was in the back. The assailants ambushed the vehicle, killing both Sindhi and his security guard on the spot. The driver sustained injuries but survived.
Sindhi, whose real name was Zia Ul Rehman, was the self-styled commander of the Khureta launch pad in Kotli, Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), which served as a key hub for LeT’s operations. Under his leadership, this camp became the epicenter of terrorist activities, focusing on targeted attacks in the Rajouri-Poonch sector of India. He was directly involved in guiding LeT operatives into Indian territory and facilitating arms and ammunition drops through drones. His role in major attacks was confirmed after the arrest of Nisar, a Surankote-based operative linked to the April 2023 Bhatia Durian attack on an Indian Army vehicle.
Having operated in Jammu and Kashmir in the early 2000s before returning to Pakistan, Sindhi used his old network of contacts to revive LeT’s activities along the border. He was a trusted lieutenant of LeT’s top leadership, including Hafiz Saeed, and directly reported to senior commander Sajid Jutt, based in Rawalpindi. His role in managing LeT’s most significant training and launch facility in Kotli made him a high-value target.
The precise execution suggests a well-planned operation by assailants with prior intelligence of his movements. The choice of timing—Saturday evening—indicates a calculated move.
In recent years, Pakistan’s security agencies have repeatedly alleged that India’s intelligence agency, R&AW, has been behind a series of targeted assassinations of high-profile terrorists operating from Pakistan. At least 30-35 such killings have been reported in the last few years as revealed by the Sunday Guardian earlier.
However, Islamabad has not provided any concrete evidence to substantiate these claims.
Given the method of execution, other possibilities include internal rivalries within LeT or a strategic elimination by Pakistan’s own security establishment under external pressure.
The elimination of Abu Qatal Sindhi marks a significant setback for LeT’s operations in PoJK and the Rajouri-Poonch sector. His death creates a leadership vacuum at the Kotli launch pad, which has been crucial for terror infiltration into India.