Ex-PM Manmohan Singh Thanked Yasin Malik For Meeting Hafiz Saeed, Claims Affidavit

Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik has claimed in a Delhi High Court affidavit that he met Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed in Pakistan in 2006 on the instructions of senior Intelligence Bureau officials. According to Malik, after returning to New Delhi, he briefed then prime minister Manmohan Singh about the meeting, and Singh expressed appreciation for his efforts and patience.

The affidavit outlines Malik’s interactions with Indian leaders, including Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh, along with senior IB officials, foreign diplomats, and militant leaders in Pakistan. Malik said Singh had assured him in February 2006 that the government was committed to resolving the Kashmir issue.

Malik further alleged that his Pakistan visit, initially intended for earthquake relief work, was turned against him despite being carried out on IB’s request. He noted that Singh “conveyed gratitude” for his role in engaging with Hafiz Saeed and other militant leaders.

Currently serving a life sentence in Tihar Jail for terror funding, Malik faces the possibility of the death penalty after the NIA sought capital punishment in August. He has been accused of maintaining close links with terror outfits and undermining India’s sovereignty.