On Wednesday, October 11, 2023, two gunmen targeted a mosque in Daska, an eastern city in Punjab province, Pakistan. Disguised as worshippers, the assailants opened fire, killing two individuals.
Shahid Latif, one of the victims, was closely linked with Masood Azhar, the founder of the anti-India extremist group, Jaish-e-Mohammad. Alongside Latif, another unidentified person was killed.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear, as no group has claimed responsibility. Hassan Iqbal, the local police chief, believes that the attack was focused on Latif due to his connections. The details about the gunmen and their potential affiliations remain undisclosed.
Shahid Latif’s connection with Jaish-e-Mohammad made him a contentious figure. His purported involvement in the 2016 attack on an Indian military base in Pathankot, where seven Indian soldiers lost their lives, has been widely reported in the Indian media.
The longstanding conflict between India and Pakistan, especially over the Kashmir territory, has led to numerous clashes since their independence in 1947. This recent incident in Daska further complicates the already tense relationship between the two countries.
