This is an archive article published on December 6, 2024
‘Exposes duplicity’: India slams Pakistan over Masood Azhar public appearance, demands action
"We demand that strong action be taken against him (Azhar) and he should be brought to justice. There has been denial that he is not there in Pakistan," Jaiswal added.
India on Friday called on Pakistan to take decisive action against Masood Azhar, the mastermind behind the 2001 Indian Parliament attack and the 2019 Pulwama attack, following reports that he addressed a gathering for the first time in two decades.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal demanded strong action against him, saying, “If the reports are correct, it exposes the duplicity of Pakistan. Masood Azhar is involved in cross-border terror attacks in India.”
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“We demand that strong action be taken against him (Azhar) and he should be brought to justice. There has been denial that he is not there in Pakistan,” Jaiswal added.
Azhar, the leader of the Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), who is also an UN-designated terrorist in his speech, vowed to renew jihadist operations targeting India and Israel in order to establish a global Islamic order.
The speech, delivered through an online forum, reportedly included threats against India, “India, your death is coming.” He also expressed disdain for political leaders such as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, describing their actions in inflammatory terms.
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Pakistan, previously, claimed to have seized Azhar’s compound in Bahawalpur after the Pulwama attack, but reports suggest that JeM has expanded its facilities there. In 2020, Pakistan informed the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) that Azhar and his family were missing, with some reports indicating he may have fled to Afghanistan.
JeM chief Masood Azhar (File Photo) 
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