Intelligence tries to clarify Azhar’s death, JeM says he’s alive

The officials said they had no information other than that Azhar was undergoing treatment at an army hospital after suffering renal failure. The social media was filled with reports that Azhar had died, but there was no confirmation as of now, the officials said.

In an interview to CNN, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi earlier admitted that the JeM chief is in Pakistan and is “very unwell”, but said the government can act against him only if India presents “solid” and “inalienable” evidence that can stand in a court of law. 

Meanwhile, JeM, released a statement saying that Masood Azhar  was  alive and doing well   afer  news of his death started circulating in the media. There was no official word on Azhar’s fate from the Pakistan government. Quoting unnamed sources close to the family of the JeM chief, a Pak channel said Azhar is “alive”, but there was no official word on Azhar’s fate from the Pakistan government.

Pakistan may take “decisive action” against all proscribed organisations, including Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) and even withdraw its opposition to the move to list terror outfit’s chief Masood Azhar in the UN Security Council terror list, according to a media report on Sunday.

The US, the UK and France  Wednesday last moved a fresh proposal in the UN Security Council to designate Pakistan-based chief Azhar as a global terrorist, a listing that will subject him to global travel ban, asset freeze and arms embargo. 

In a major policy decision, Pakistan is set to take decisive action against all proscribed organisations as well as against the head of banned JeM, a senior security official familiar with the development quoted as saying by the Express Tribune. It is not clear what specific action would be taken against Azhar but the official hinted that Pakistan may withdraw its opposition to the listing of JeM chief as global terrorist by the UN Security Council. 

“The state has to decide whether individual is important or the larger national interest of the country,” the official said when asked if Pakistan would no more oppose the UNSC action against Azhar. The Security Council Sanctions Committee will consider within 10 days on the fresh proposal moved by the three permanent veto-wielding members of the 15-nation Security Council. The proposal is the fourth such bid at the UN in the last 10 years to list Azhar as a global terrorist.