In a serious but failed attempt, Sardar Muhammad Sagheer Khan, the Chairman of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), was targeted in a trap approximately a year and a half ago. The incident occurred in November 2022 at Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad the capital of Pakistan. Sardar Sagheer Khan and his son, Ali Abdullah, responded immediately and strongly to the situation, later revealing the identities of those involved during a public gathering.
The Incident
Sardar Sagheer Khan’s wife was battling cancer and underwent surgery at Shifa International Hospital on November 25, 2022. Two days after the surgery, an unusual event took place involving Ali Abdullah, Sagheer Khan’s son. Ali received a message from an unknown person claiming to be visiting the hospital to check on his mother and asked for the ward and room number. The person also spoke to Ali on a phone call, requesting a meeting in the waiting area.
According to Ali, two individuals, a man and a woman, met him in the waiting area and expressed their desire to visit his mother’s room. Ali did not recognize them and asked them to remain in the waiting area while he sought their introduction. They claimed to be from the army and mentioned they were visiting on the orders of their superior, Colonel Shehzad. They also expressed a wish to meet Sardar Muhammad Sagheer Khan, stating that their boss would visit in a few days.
Ali, upon hearing their introduction, asked them to leave. However, they insisted, offering to arrange treatment for his mother abroad or at CMH for free. Ali expressed satisfaction with the treatment at Shifa International Hospital and insisted they leave immediately. At this point, one of the individuals took out an envelope, asking Ali to accept it as a gesture. Ali refused and noticed a third person attempting to take a photo. In a fit of anger, Ali tried to snatch the phone from the individual taking the photo, causing them to flee the scene.
Response and Investigation
Ali Abdullah informed his father and a friend about the incident and sought CCTV footage from the hospital’s security office, who asked him to return with a formal request the following day. Ali filed a request without mentioning the individuals’ introduction and submitted it to the security office. Although he was shown the footage, the security office refused to provide a copy, citing the absence of a crime.
Two days later, Ali, accompanied by his father Sardar Sagheer Khan and lawyer Raja Mazhar Iqbal, filed a complaint at the I-9 Police Station in Islamabad. Sub-Inspector Raza assured them that the footage would be provided the next day, but later refused, stating that no crime had occurred.
Public Reaction and Accusations
Following his wife’s death, Sardar Sagheer Khan spoke about the incident in detail during a public gathering on February 11, 2023, commemorating the Martyrdom Day of Shaheed Kashmir. He criticized Colonel Shehzad and other responsible individuals. In a subsequent press conference during a long march for public rights, Sagheer Khan accused Brigadier Shehzad and the ISI and MI sector commanders of trying to incite violence and create turmoil.
Following the press conference, a social media campaign was launched against Sardar Muhammad Sagheer Khan, aiming to tarnish his reputation. This attempt to discredit a sincere political leader highlighted the military establishment’s tactics in Pakistan and its administered regions to manipulate politicians.
