India asked for stringent action against the mastermind of terror organization Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Masood Azhar after media reports surfaced about his speech from public gathering in Bahawalpur, Pakistan. This latest event of speech by Masood has once again put some serious questions to the world on the seriousness of Pakistani intentions towards combating terrorism across its soil.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, stated that India had serious concern over the matter and further said that it was a very significant report. If the claims are true, he said, “It will be an exposure of Pakistan’s duplicity on dealing with terrorism.” He further added that “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’s statement came after media reports established that Azhar, who has been out of the public eye for nearly two decades, addressed Jaish-e-Mohammed members. This was his first public speech in over two decades. The speech, made available through the group’s online platforms, carried a deeply disturbing message for India and Israel, promising an escalation of terror attacks in both countries.
Threats To India And Israel
The speech, whose time and place were not announced, was said to have taken place at the Umm-ul-Qura seminary near Bahawalpur. The 1,000 acres site is believed to be an important center for JeM’s operations. Azhar mentioned Gaza conflict and promised that operations against India and Israel, which had been on moratorium, would resume once again in order to help establish a new world Islamic paradigm. This rhetoric has raised alarm in both countries, who have long accused Pakistan of harboring and supporting terrorism.
Azhar’s History Of Terrorism
Masood Azhar’s history of terrorist activity is documented. He is the mastermind behind several high-profile attacks on India, one of which was the attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001. Azhar’s actions have been a constant source of tension between India and Pakistan. Pakistan has made several public claims to have detained him in the past, but little concrete action has been taken to bring him to justice.
In 2003, after an attempt on Pakistan’s then-President Pervez Musharraf, Azhar was placed under ban on public appearances. Still, he was never brought to book for his role in the assassination. In 2016, Pakistan claimed to have put him in “protective custody.” However, all the claims are refuted as Azhar’s continued influence and public activities contradict it.
The demand by India was for Pakistan to take concrete action against Azhar, said Jaiswal. He reiterated that if reports about Azhar’s speech were indeed true, it would once again expose Pakistan’s failure to handle cross-border terrorism. “Masood Azhar is involved in cross-border terror attacks on India, and we want strong action to be taken against him,” Jaiswal concluded, asking the international community to hold Pakistan accountable for its role in terrorism.
ALSO READ | INDIA Bloc Writes To PM Modi: ‘Manipur Awaits Your Visit’—What Are Their 3 Key Demands?
