London [UK] May 23 (ANI): Political activist from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), Amjad Ayub Mirza, has strongly criticised Pakistan following reports of the killing of alleged Jaish-e-Mohammed commander Hamza Burhan, claiming the incident once again exposed Pakistan's long-standing links with militant groups.

In a video statement, Mirza said he was 'not shocked' by reports that Hamza Burhan, whom he described as a key figure behind the 2019 Pulwama attack, had allegedly been living in Pakistan and PoJK despite being designated a terrorist by India in 2022.

Drawing parallels with the discovery of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad in 2011, Mirza accused Pakistan's military establishment and intelligence agencies of providing a haven to extremist figures while simultaneously cooperating with international powers for strategic gains.

He alleged that Bin Laden had lived 'right under the nose' of the Pakistan military near the military academy in Abbottabad and questioned how such figures could remain hidden without state complicity. Mirza further claimed that Pakistan had historically played a 'double game' by allegedly protecting militant leaders while later facilitating operations against them when they became liabilities.

Referring to Hamza Burhan, Mirza alleged that the killing may have been an 'internal job,' claiming the militant commander had become a burden for Pakistan after international scrutiny increased over his activities. He suggested that Pakistan could later attempt to blame India for the incident while internally eliminating individuals no longer considered strategically useful.

Mirza also referred to the killing of religious scholar Maulana Sheikh-ul-Hadith Idrees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, alleging that individuals once supportive of Pakistan's establishment were targeted after outliving their usefulness.

Condemning what he described as Pakistan's continued support for militancy, Mirza accused the country of turning Pakistan and PoJK into 'safe havens for global terrorists' from regions including Afghanistan and the Middle East.

He urged international organisations monitoring terrorism financing to investigate how an alleged militant commander designated as a terrorist in 2022 could continue residing in PoJK and Pakistan without action from authorities. (ANI)