Hafiz Abdul Salam Bhuttavi, a founding member of the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) and deputy to Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind behind the 26/11 Mumbai Attacks, passed away due to cardiac arrest while in Pakistani government custody, as confirmed by the United Nations. According to the UN Security Council's Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee, Bhuttavi died on May 29 last year in Muridke, Punjab province, Pakistan.
Bhuttavi played a significant role in LeT, serving as the acting emir on two occasions when Hafiz Saeed was detained. He managed the group's daily operations and made independent decisions during Saeed's incarceration until June 2009. Bhuttavi provided instructions and issued fatwas for LeT's operations, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks that resulted in over 150 casualties.
Apart from his involvement in terrorist activities, Bhuttavi was responsible for LeT's madrassah network and played a crucial role in establishing an organisational base in Lahore in 2002.