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New Delhi’Nov 12 (PMI) Suspicion over Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar’s involvement in the November 10 Red Fort blast has grown stronger. Evidence emerging from the probe indicates the hand of the Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) behind the powerful explosion that ripped through a Hyundai i20 car near Delhi’s historic Red Fort, killing 12 people.
Masood Azhar — already listed by the UN Security Council as a global terrorist — is believed by Indian intelligence agencies to have played a role in several major terror strikes in India, from the 26/11 Mumbai attacks to the recent Delhi blast. Despite Pakistan’s repeated denials about his presence, reports suggest that Azhar continues to move freely under the protection of Islamabad’s establishment.
Who is Masood Azhar?
Masood Azhar (56) is the founder of Jaish-e-Mohammed, a Pakistan-based terror organisation responsible for numerous attacks in India. He was once arrested by Indian agencies but was later released in exchange for hostages during the 1999 IC-814 hijacking. The Indian Airlines flight, hijacked en route from Delhi to Kathmandu, was diverted to Kandahar, Afghanistan, where Azhar and two other militants were freed in return for the passengers’ safety. Soon after his release, Azhar founded Jaish-e-Mohammed.
Under his leadership, the outfit carried out major terror strikes — the 2001 Parliament attack, the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the 2016 Pathankot Airbase assault, and the 2019 Pulwama bombing. The Red Fort blast has once again brought his name under the scanner as several JeM operatives have been detained.
Operation Sindoor
In retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror camps across Pakistan. The strikes reportedly destroyed nine camps and killed over 100 terrorists, including ten members of Azhar’s own family — his sister, her husband, nephew, niece, and five children. Azhar survived and later vowed revenge at an Islamic gathering in Punjab province, pledging to continue attacks against India.
The Women’s Brigade
Jaish has recently floated a female terror wing called “Jamaat-ul-Mominat”, recruiting and training women for militant operations. Umar Farooq’s wife, Afira Bibi, has joined its advisory council, while Dr. Shaheen Sayud, a medical college lecturer arrested in Faridabad, is believed to head the group’s Indian unit.(pressmediaofindia.com)
