lahore pakistan back candidate by-election last weekend pakistan political party control islamist 10 million u.s. bounty head line plan put forward military last year mainstream militant group accord source familiar proposal milli muslim league party loyal hafiz saeed unite state india accuse mastermind 2008 mumbai attack kill 166 people percent vote contest seat vacate prime minister nawaz sharif remove office supreme court july foray politics saeed islamist charity appear follow blueprint sharif reject military propose 2016 accord three government officials retire former general brief discussions none source interview article could say sure mml found direct result military plan discuss meet sharif put ice last year mml deny political ambition engineer military official army spokesman comment query send office mainstreaming plan happen pakistan powerful military long accuse foster militant group proxy fighters oppose neighbor arch-enemy india charge army deny three government officials close sharif confidants knowledge discussions say military powerful inter-services intelligence agency isi present proposals mainstreaming militant group meet last year say sharif oppose mainstreaming plan senior military figure analysts see way steer ultra-religious group away violent jihad separate elements peaceful elements pick weapons say retire lieutenant general amjad shuaib add group help create political structure come mainstream plan shuaib tell reuters share then-head isi say will encourage come mainstream politics country add capacity retire senior military officer unofficially speak hafiz saaed another allege militant plan receptive shuaib late say comment interview take context part broad discussion deradicalization strategies write local newspaper wednesday say report maliciously attribute statements totally context suit narrative spokesperson reuters say stand report 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 mml officials run campaign portraits saeed adorn every poster promote sheikh come fourth place sunday sharif wife take seat expect 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 still hundreds mml supporters wave posters saeed demand release house arrest chant long live hafiz saeed long live pakistan army political rally run-up by-election 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 isi begin push political mainstreaming plan 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 isi main press liaison respond write request comment 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 rancor 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 pakistan army push political role militant-linked group