Lashkar-e-Taiba co-founder Amir Hamza was injured in a shooting in Lahore on Thursday, marking the second such attack on him within a year.
Drive-by shooting in Lahore
The 67-year-old was reportedly targeted by unidentified gunmen shortly after stepping out of a television appearance. According to several media reports, Hamza had exited the office of News 24 (Pakistan) along with Judge Nazir Ahmad Ghazi when two motorcycle-borne assailants opened fire on his car near a bus stop.
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The attackers fired multiple shots before fleeing the scene. Hamza sustained a gunshot wound to his shoulder and was rushed to a hospital for treatment.
Second attempt in a year
This is the second assassination attempt on Hamza in recent months. He had earlier survived a similar shooting in May 2025. The latest incident adds to a string of targeted attacks on senior figures linked to militant organisations in Pakistan.
The attack also comes amid heightened tensions following calls for retaliation by top Lashkar commanders after the reported destruction of their Muridke camp during Operation Sindoor last year.
Background and role
Hamza, declared a global terrorist by the United States in 2012, has long been associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba's leadership. He is considered a key ideologue and is known to have maintained links with other groups under the guidance of Hafiz Muhammad Saeed.
In the early 2000s, he was reportedly tasked with setting up bases in India and was among those allegedly involved in the 2005 attack on the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru.
Reaction from LeT-linked groups
The political wing of Lashkar, Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), condemned the attack and described it as a lapse in security. A letter seeking enhanced protection was reportedly signed by senior figures including Saifullah Kasuri, Hafiz Talha Saeed and Hafiz Abdul Rauf.
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They also highlighted Hamza's role in forming Tehreek-e-Hurmat-e-Rasool, a platform that brought together individuals from different schools of thought.
The incident is part of a broader pattern of attacks targeting members of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed in recent times.
