Bilawal Bhutto’s offer to extradite Hafiz Saeed, Masood Azhar sparks fierce backlash in Pakistan

Former Pakistani foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that Islamabad would have “no objection” to extraditing “individuals of concern” like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar to India—if New Delhi shows cooperation in presenting evidence and participating in legal proceedings.

In response, jihadi group Lashkar‑e‑Taiba expressed fury. Its leader’s son, Talha Saeed, slammed Bilawal’s remarks as an “insult to Pakistan,” accusing him of echoing India’s narrative and questioning his religious loyalty. Talha declared the statement “against the state policy, national interest and sovereignty."

The Pakistan Tehreek‑e‑Insaf (PTI) party joined the criticism, branding Bilawal an “immature political child” and warning that his comments weakened national security and undermined public confidence.

Bilawal, in a recent Al Jazeera interview, insisted that his intention was to use extradition as a “confidence‑building measure” aimed at fostering dialogue on terrorism between India and Pakistan.

He noted that Hafiz Saeed is currently jailed in Pakistan, while Masood Azhar is believed to be in Afghanistan, beyond Islamabad’s reach—expressing readiness to act if New Delhi shares concrete proof .

The clash underscores Pakistan’s internal tension between political leadership pushing for reconciliation with India and hardline factions resisting any concessions.

It also highlights lingering skepticism over civilian influence amid entrenched military and intelligence control in policy‑making.