Who's Hafiz Abdur Rauf—seen leading terrorists' funeral killed by India
What's the story
In an attempt to deceive the international community regarding the attendance of Hafiz Abdul Rauf at the funeral of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists, Pakistan attempted to portray him as a "cleric" and "family man." A United States-designated terrorist and senior LeT operative, he was seen leading the funeral of terrorists killed in Indian airstrikes. But at a press briefing, Pakistan's Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations, Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, attempted to portray Rauf as a common man with "three daughters,..and son."
PIB's clarification
PIB FactCheck unit debunks Pakistan's claims
India has since debunked Pakistan's claim Rauf is an "innocent man." India's Press Information Bureau (PIB) FactCheck unit clarified that the identity shared by Pakistan matches Rauf, who has been in LeT's senior leadership since at least 1999. PIB FactCheck unit said, "Pakistan's DG ISPR claims that the LeT terrorist Hafiz Abdur Rauf is an 'Innocent Man.' DG ISPR's 'COMMON MAN' is a Globally Sanctioned Terrorist."
Twitter Post
PIB's fact check
🚨Is Hafiz Abdur Rauf really a Common man❓
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 12, 2025
Pakistan’s DG ISPR claims that LeT terrorist Hafiz Abdur Rauf is an 'Innocent Man'#PIBFactCheck
❌DG ISPR's "COMMON MAN" is a Globally Sanctioned Terrorist - clearly visible in the viral terrorist funeral picture
✅The identity… pic.twitter.com/Dy8mN72hfo
Rauf's affiliations
Rauf's involvement with terrorist organizations
Rauf is a senior functionary of the terrorist group LeT and chief of the now-banned Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF). Both are proscribed by the US and the United Nations. He has been a long-time member of LeT's front, Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), and has worked in close quarters with LeT founder Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the November 2008 Mumbai terror attack.
Sanction information
Rauf's personal details and US sanctions
The US database has multiple addresses against Rauf's name, all from Pakistan. They include 4 Lake Road, Room No. 7 Choburji; Dola Khurd; 129 Jinnah Block, Awan Town, Multan Road; and 5-Chamberlain Road in Lahore. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) database also lists his National ID No: NIC 277-93-113495 and CNIC: 35202-5400413-9. These details match the information about Rauf found in the database of the OFAC, which maintains an "SDN List," or Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons.