lahore pakistan new pakistani political party control islamist 10 million u.s. bounty head back candidate by-election sunday former senior army officer say key step military-proposed plan mainstream militant group milli muslim league party loyal hafiz saeed unite state india accuse mastermind 2008 mumbai attack kill 166 people little chance see favor candidate win seat vacate prime minister nawaz sharif remove office supreme court july foray politics saeed islamist charity follow blueprint sharif reject military propose last year retire lieutenant general amjad shuaib tell reuters three close sharif confidants knowledge discussions confirm sharif oppose mainstreaming plan senior military figure analysts see way steer ultra-religious group away violent jihad separate elements peaceful elements pick weapons shuaib say pakistan powerful military long accuse foster militant group proxy fighters oppose neighbor arch-enemy india charge army deny saeed religious charity launch milli muslim league party within two weeks court oust sharif corruption allegations yaqoob sheikh lahore candidate milli muslim league stand independent electoral commission say party yet legally register saeed lieutenants jud workers milli muslim league officials run campaign portraits saeed adorn every poster promote sheikh another islamist designate terrorist unite state fazlur rehman khalil tell reuters plan soon form party advocate strict islamic law god will come mainstream country right need patriotic people khalil say vow turn pakistan state government strict islamic law saeed charity khalil ansar ul-umma organization see unite state front militant group army accuse sponsor military deny policy encourage radical group islamist group deny political ambition engineer military official army spokesman available comment query send press wing still hundreds mml supporters wave posters saeed demand release house arrest chant long live hafiz saeed long live pakistan army political rally past week anyone india friend traitor traitor go another campaign slogan reference sharif attempt improve relations long-time foe india source tension military saeed khalil proponents strict interpretation islam history support violence man reportedly signatory al qaeda leader osama bin lade 1998 fatwa declare war unite state since establish religious group say unconnected violence though unite state maintain group front funnel money fighters militants target india analyst khaled ahmed research saeed jamaat-ud-dawa charity connections military say new political party clearly attempt general pursue alternative dismantle militant proxies one thing army want guy survive ahmed say thing want also balance politicians incline normalize relations india military inter-services intelligence agency first begin push political mainstreaming plan april 2016 accord retire general shuaib former director army military intelligence wing separate isi say proposal share write then-isi chief add speak khalil well saeed unofficial capacity plan fazlur rehman khalil positive hafiz saeed positive shuaib say conversation confirm things tell isi people saeed house arrest since january house eastern city lahore unite state offer 10 million reward information lead conviction mumbai attack then-prime minister sharif however strongly military mainstreaming plan accord shuaib three members sharif inner circle include one tense meet issue sharif want completely dismantle group like jud disagreement anti-india proxy fighters major source rancour military accord one close sharif confidants recent weeks several senior figure rule pml-n party publicly imply elements military run pakistan almost half modern history previously oust sharif 1999 coup hand court ouster sharif charge army court reject representative pml-n last month replace prime minister close ally shahid khaqi abbasi say party aware mainstreaming plan bring table analysts worry mainstreaming controversial group would risky strategy pakistan u.s. president donald trump administration threaten sanction members pakistan military even raise specter declare pakistan state sponsor terrorism send wrong message say analyst zahid hussain nevertheless think saeed new party would negligible effect pakistani elections religious party never seat parliament others sure sheikh mml candidate sunday by-election say handpicked hafiz saeed vow establish strict islamic rule break liberalism secularism analyst ahmed warn exist religious party charismatic leader like saeed pakistan may find unable control rise tide islamist sentiment hafiz saeed come mainstream go politicize add go make politics religious pakistan army push political role militant-linked group