Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader and former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, in an interview with Al Jazeera, expressed that Pakistan holds no information on the whereabouts of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar. He assured that if India shares credible evidence proving Azhar's presence in Pakistan, arrest actions would be taken.
It is noteworthy that Bilawal Bhutto’s party is part of Pakistan's ruling coalition. Responding to a question, Bhutto stated, "If the Indian government provides information on his presence on Pakistani soil, we are fully prepared to arrest him. However, India has yet to share such details."
Claims of Being in Afghanistan
Bhutto also suggested that Azhar might be in Afghanistan, considering his past involvement in the Afghan jihad. Referring to the retreat of Western countries and the Taliban's return to power, he mentioned, “If NATO couldn't capture him in Afghanistan, expecting Pakistan to do so is unrealistic.”
This statement comes at a time when India had recently undertaken "Operation Sindoor" and destroyed terrorist bases located in Pakistan. The Indian army also targeted Jaish-e-Mohammed's Bahawalpur base and Lashkar-e-Taiba's Muridke headquarters. Azhar claimed that 10 of his relatives and 4 companions were killed in India's actions.
Rejection of The New York Times Report
When confronted about The New York Times report regarding Hafiz Saeed's presence in public, Bhutto clearly stated, "That is factually incorrect. Hafiz Saeed is in Pakistan's custody."
Bhutto emphasized the importance of international anti-terrorism cooperation, advocating for countries to share lists of suspects with each other. Such collaboration, he noted, has helped prevent attacks in London, New York, and Pakistan.
Masood Azhar, one of India's most wanted terrorists, is linked to numerous major assaults, including the 2001 Parliament attack, the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, the 2016 Pathankot airbase assault, and the 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing. He was declared a global terrorist by the United Nations in 2019.
