Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar has now moved from Bahawalpur and is hiding in Gilgit-Baltistan in PoK. Reports claim continued patronage from the Pakistani government. Bilawal Bhutto's claims exposed.
Pakistan: Masood Azhar, the mastermind of the Pulwama attack, has once again been spotted active in Pakistan. According to an India Today report, he has now been seen in the Gilgit-Baltistan area of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), some distance from Bahawalpur. Previously, his presence was reported in Skardu.
Masood Azhar's New Location Revealed
Indian intelligence agencies are keeping a close watch on the activities of Masood Azhar, the chief of the Pakistan-based banned terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammed. According to an India Today report, Masood Azhar has now been spotted in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). He is present in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Ghulam Kashmir, a few kilometers from Bahawalpur. Earlier, he was seen in the Sadpara Road area of Skardu.
Journey from Bahawalpur to Gilgit
Bahawalpur is considered the bhold of Jaish-e-Mohammed. Masood Azhar has been running his terrorist operations from here. He has two major hideouts in Bahawalpur from where he operates the organization. But now, according to intelligence reports, he has changed his location and moved from Bahawalpur to Gilgit-Baltistan.
Jaish suffered losses in Operation Sindoor
Notably, in response to the Pulwama attack in 2019, the Indian Air Force targeted Jaish-e-Mohammed's training camps and hideouts in Balakot, Pakistan, under Operation Sindoor. Several close associates of Masood Azhar were killed in this operation. According to reports, more than 10 members of his family were also killed in this attack. Azhar himself confirmed this in an audio message and said that it would have been better if he had also been killed in the attack.
Pakistan's Foreign Minister's Claim
Pakistan has long claimed, under international pressure, that it is against terrorism. But the reality is the opposite. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto recently said in an interview with Al Jazeera that Masood Azhar may be hiding in Afghanistan and if he is found in Pakistan, he will be handed over to India.
However, according to Indian intelligence agencies and media reports, Masood Azhar is within Pakistan under the protection of the ISI and the Pakistani army. In such a situation, Bilawal's statement seems to be just an attempt to improve his image at the international level.
