New Delhi/Islamabad: On Saturday in Pakistan, following the Eid prayers, Bilal Arif Salafi—a commander of the terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba—was murdered by his own family members, who both stabbed and shot him.
Reports suggest that this incident took place in Muridke, near the ruins of the Lashkar-e-Taiba headquarters (Markaz). Although the exact motive behind the murder remains unclear, intelligence sources suspect that a family dispute was the cause.
Sources confirmed that those involved in the murder have been arrested. Meanwhile, several videos surfacing on social media in the aftermath of the incident appear to show the terrorist lying lifeless on the ground; however, the authenticity of these videos could not be independently verified.
According to reports, Salafi was responsible for identifying young men and recruiting them into the terrorist wing’s Muridke center to further his organization’s agenda. His role allegedly involved brainwashing individuals by subjecting them to ideological training. Salafi was not a wanted fugitive in India.
**Pakistan Ranks First on Global Terrorism Index**
For the first time, Pakistan has topped the Global Terrorism Index, following a 6 percent increase in terrorism-related fatalities during 2025. According to the Global Terrorism Index 2026—published by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP)—the country recorded 1,139 deaths last year, a figure that underscores a deteriorating security environment.
The comprehensive report, which assesses the impact of terrorism across 163 countries, notes that Pakistan’s strained relations with its neighbors—particularly Afghanistan—combined with escalating violence by the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), have created “significant security risks.” The findings reveal that “deaths caused by terrorism in Pakistan are now at their highest level since 2013, with the country recording 1,139 deaths and 1,045 incidents of terrorism in 2025.” The TTP has cemented its position as the “most dangerous” terrorist group within the country and the third most dangerous group globally.
IEP data indicates that “since 2009, TTP attacks have accounted for over 67 percent of all attacks in Pakistan, and the group is responsible for five times more attacks than the country’s second most active group, the BLA.” Notably, the TTP was the only organization among the world’s four most dangerous groups to witness an increase in operational activity over the past year.
