Pakistan’s “duplicity” in allowing Masood Azhar, the head of the terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), to be there has drawn harsh criticism from India. This censure comes as rumors circulated that Azhar gave his first public speech in twenty years in Bahawalpur, Pakistan. He made threats of renewed jihadist attacks on Israel and India in this speech, saying, “India, your death is coming,” and demeaning political figures such as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Randhir Jaiswal, a spokesman for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, stressed that if the accusations regarding Azhar’s activities are true, then show how Pakistan has failed to stop terrorism. He asked that Azhar be held responsible for his role in cross-border attacks on India and called for “strong action” against him. Jaiswal
This issue is set against the backdrop of persistent tensions between India and Pakistan, which have been made worse by previous terrorist incidents that have been linked to JeM, such as the Pulwama assault in 2019 and the Indian Parliament attack in 2001. According to sources, JeM has expanded its facilities in Bahawalpur instead of being dissolved, despite Pakistan’s earlier claims that it has taken action against Azhar’s group.
