(Source: ECI | ABP NEWS)
Where Is Masood Azhar? Pakistan Minister Bhutto Says This On India's Most Wanted Terrorist
Bilawal Bhutto says Pakistan doesn’t know where Jaish chief Masood Azhar is, adding Islamabad would arrest him if India proves he’s on Pakistani soil.
In a statement that’s sparked headlines across the region, Pakistani politician Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has claimed his country doesn’t know the current location of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar — a man India considers one of its most-wanted terrorists. Speaking to Al Jazeera, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader said Islamabad would "be happy to" apprehend Azhar if New Delhi provides credible evidence that he is on Pakistani soil.
Masood Azhar’s name is synonymous with some of India’s darkest terror attacks — from the 2001 Parliament assault and the 26/11 Mumbai carnage to the 2016 Pathankot airbase strike and the deadly Pulwama bombing in 2019. A globally designated terrorist under United Nations sanctions since 2019, Azhar was controversially released by India in 1999 during the IC-814 hijacking crisis in Kandahar.
Despite India’s repeated demands for the extradition of Azhar and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed, Pakistan has long maintained plausible deniability about their presence — even amid mounting evidence.
During the wide-ranging interview, Bhutto Zardari pushed back against a recent New York Times report suggesting that Saeed is free in Pakistan. "That's factually not correct," he asserted. "Hafiz Saeed is in the custody of the Pakistani state." When asked about Azhar, he added, "We have been unable to arrest or identify him. Given his past involvement in the Afghan jihad, we believe he may be in Afghanistan."
Bhutto went a step further, suggesting Islamabad is open to cooperation if India plays its part. "If and when the Indian government shares information with us that he is on Pakistani soil, we would be more than happy to arrest him," he said, hinting at what he sees as a lack of actionable intelligence from New Delhi.
Challenged on why Pakistan would rely on India to locate a figure like Azhar, the PPP chairman referenced counterterrorism partnerships around the world. "When you engage in CT cooperation, each country shares its priority groups. That’s how attacks have been thwarted — whether in London, New York, or here in Pakistan," he explained.
Bhutto also took aim at the broader geopolitical complexities, alluding to the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan. "If Azhar is indeed there, the West has handed over the country to the very group they once labeled terrorists. How can Pakistan be expected to succeed where NATO failed?"
Operation Sindoor and Pahalgam Attack
Bhutto's remarks come in the wake of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting key terror infrastructure across the border, including LeT’s base in Muridke and JeM’s headquarters in Bahawalpur.
Azhar himself claimed that the Indian strikes killed ten of his family members along with four close aides. Though his exact location remains disputed, the fallout has reignited calls for accountability and intensified international scrutiny.
Water Wars and War of Words
Beyond terrorism, Bhutto has also stirred controversy over India’s move to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty. The PPP leader issued a fiery warning, saying, “The Indus is ours and will remain ours — either our water will flow through it, or their blood.” His words triggered sharp rebukes in India, with Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri dismissing the rhetoric. “Tell him to jump somewhere in water… Well, how will he when there will be no water?” Puri quipped.
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