Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi admitted that Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar is in Pakistan. Qureshi in an interview said, “Azhar is in Pakistan. According to my information, he is very unwell. He is unwell to the extent that he can’t leave his house, because he really unwell.”
Masood Azhar is the chief of Jaish-e-Mohammad, the organisation that has carried out multiple attacks on India over the last nearly two decades, including the recent Pulwama attack that claiming the lives of 40 CRPF officers. India has been repeatedly trying to list him as a “global terrorist” at the United Nations Security Council. However, China from past a decade has been single-handedly blocking all attempts of India.
However, Qureshi has assured that Pakistan will take action against him if presented with “evidence that can stand in a court of law.” “If they have solid, inalienable evidence that is acceptable to courts of Pakistan, share it with us so that we can convince the people and we can convince the independent judiciary of Pakistan”, the foreign minister said, adding that there is a “need to satisfy the legal process.”
During the interaction, Qureshi also added that the release of captured IAF pilot Abhinandan Varthaman is a “peace gesture” and must be seen as Pakistan “willingness to de-escalate.” Today Varthaman, who is in Pakistan custody since Wednesday is likely to be released along Wagah border.
Since the 26/11 Mumbai Attacks India had started pushing for Azhar listing. Then the efforts began again after JeM for the attack on the IAF base in Pathankot on 2nd January 2016, a month after which India proposed to designate Azhar as a global terrorist. The United States, United Kingdom and France have now moved a fresh proposal against Azhar.
Azhar will be tagged as a ‘UN-designated global terrorist’, subjecting to the passing of the proposal at UNSC, which would consequently ban him from global travel, asset freeze and arms embargo. Besides Pulwama, India has also presented nine specific instances when JeM conducted rallies and religious gatherings in Pakistan “right under the nose of the Pakistan government” to propagandize and recruit men by instigating them against India.