India has called for strong action against Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar after reports surfaced indicating that he had delivered a speech at a public gathering in Bahawalpur, Pakistan. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) strongly criticized Pakistan’s failure to take action against the notorious terrorist leader, calling it a clear sign of Pakistan’s “duplicity” in addressing cross-border terrorism.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, during a media briefing, emphasized that if the reports were accurate, it would expose Pakistan’s misleading claims of Azhar's non-presence in the country. "We demand that strong action be taken against him and he should be brought to justice. There has been denial that he is not there in Pakistan," Jaiswal remarked.
Azhar’s speech, reportedly his first in over two decades, was broadcasted on JeM’s digital platform. The speech commemorated the collapse of the Turkish caliphate in 1924 and included calls for renewed terrorist activities targeting India and Israel. According to sources, Azhar's speech could have taken place in late November at the Umm-ul-Qura seminary and mosque complex near Bahawalpur, a large facility known to be associated with the JeM.
This development comes after years of Pakistan’s inconsistent actions towards Masood Azhar. Despite being involved in several high-profile terrorist attacks, including the 2001 Indian Parliament attack and the 2016 Pathankot attack, Azhar has largely evaded prosecution. He was placed under "protective custody" in 2016 but has been allowed to operate freely in Pakistan.
India has long accused Pakistan of harboring and enabling terrorists, including Masood Azhar, and has pressed the international community to take stronger actions against Pakistan's role in supporting terrorism.
