Pakistan’s ISPR chief is son of a nuclear scientist linked to Osama Bin Laden: Report

The links of Pakistan army, with terrorists has never been a secret. During 'Operation Sindoor', the photos of top Pakistan officers attending the funeral of these terrorists had gone viral, exposing the decades-old nexus between Pakistan's army and terrorists. However, fresh revelations point to links between the father of Pakistan’s Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, and al-Qaeda.

Who is Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry?

Lt Choudhry is the voice of the military before the world, but beneath the polished briefings lies a disturbing family history—his father, Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood, who was a nuclear scientist is linked directly to Osama bin Laden news agency PTI reported citing officials in New Delhi.

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Lt Gen Chaudhry serves as the head of ISPR which is the media wing of the Pakistani armed forces. Appointed in 2022 by Army Chief General Asim Munir, he has emerged as the key spokesperson during periods of military tension, particularly with India.

As per the United Nations documents, Chaudhry's father, Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood, born in Amritsar, was known to have met the late al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Currently 85 years old, Mahmood lives in Islamabad.

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Bashiruddin Mahmood began his career at the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) in the 1960s and played a vital role in Pakistan’s nuclear programme. He worked on facilities including the Kahuta Research Labs and the Khushab complex. After retirement, Bashiruddhin, co-founded Ummah Tameer-e-Nau (UTN) in 1999, an NGO to support humanitarian causes in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan before the US invasion in 2001.

Meetings With Osama bin Laden

According to reports, in 2001, Mahmood met with al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden and Taliban leader Mullah Omar in Afghanistan. He is alleged to have provided insights into the infrastructure necessary for a nuclear weapons programme with bin Laden. These meetings raised red flags across US intelligence agencies.

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On 24 December 2001, the United Nations officially listed Mahmood as a terrorist for aiding al-Qaida.

US intelligence, which tracked bin Laden's meetings after the deadly 9/11 attacks, freaked out when they saw Laden had met with a prominent Pakistani nuclear scientist. In an interrogation by the CIA and the FBI, Mahmoud claimed that he had only discussed humanitarian issues such as food, health and education with Laden. He was eventually released, although was put on an exit control list by Pakistan.

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Chaudhry's father was also known for unconventional scientific views. His post-retirement work centered on using supernatural beings 'djinns' to generate electricity.

As Pakistan claims to be a victim of terrorism, its military’s leadership structure reveals deep-rooted links to jihadist figures and this is one such example.