For starters, Masood Azhar is the founder and leader of the terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed, active mainly in the Pakistani administered Azad Kashmir.
Masood Azhar is one of the Most Wanted Terrorists in the World. Masood Azhar lives in Pakistan and enjoys a VVIP treatment there. He has a strong hold in both political as well as military circle in Pakistan and a solid backing from Beijing.
Kandahar Hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC814
In early 1994, Azhar travelled to Srinagar under a fake identity, to ease tensions between Harkat-ul-Ansar’s feuding factions of Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen. India arrested him in February from Khanabal near Anantnag and imprisoned him for his terrorist activities with the groups.
Four years later, in December 1999, an Indian Airlines Flight 814 (IC814) en route from Kathmandu in Nepal to New Delhi was hijacked and eventually landed in Kandahar, Afghanistan after being flown to multiple locations. Masood Azhar was one of the three militants demanded to be released in exchange for freeing the hostages. Once Masood Azhar was handed over to the hijackers, they fled to Pakistani territory. Pakistan allowed Azhar to return stating that he do not face any charges here so he can return home.
Shortly after his release, Azhar made a public address to an estimated 10,000 people in Karachi. He proclaimed, “I have come here because this is my duty to tell you that Muslims should not rest in peace until we have destroyed India,” vowing to liberate the Kashmir region from Indian rule.
Masood Azhar in Pakistan
Jaish-e-Mohammad
Masood Azhar’s outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed carried out a string of deadly attacks against Indian targets. Jaish-e-Mohammad has carried out attacks in all parts of India killing many civilians too. Listed below are few major attacks masterminded by Masood Azhar.
Parliament Attack : 13 December 2001
Mumbai Attack : 26 November 2008
Pathankot Attack : 2 January 2016
Pulwama Attack : 14 February 2019
Even after so many inhuman acts of terror, Pakistan is not willing to take any action against the Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar. India has been continuously trying to place Azhar on UN Security Council’s counter-terrorism sanctions list, a move supported by all other countries but vetoed by China. The latest news of him being critical in an army hospital in Pakistan is spreading like wild fire but Pakistan is denying it. (Speculation states that he was injured in the latest bombing of Jaish camp in Balakot by Indian Air Force).
