“So far as Masood Azhar is anxious, we have now been unable to arrest him or determine him given his previous inside the Afghan Jihad context. It's our perception that he's in Afghanistan,” Bhutto mentioned in the course of the interview.
Masood Azhar is accused of being accountable for a number of lethal assaults, together with the 2019 Pulwama bombing, and India has repeatedly known as for motion in opposition to him. New Delhi has a long-standing declare that Pakistan protects terrorists and thr terrorist assault in Kashmir in April was linked to the rival neighbour. Islamabad had, nonetheless, denied the fees
Bhutto additionally responded to ongoing U.S. considerations, together with a 2022 U.S. State Division report that cited continued operations of Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pakistan. “I might contest that with you. However suffice to say it is past that now,” he informed Al Jazeera.
Bhutto defended Pakistan's steps to satisfy worldwide requirements set by the Monetary Motion Activity Pressure (FATF), referring to convictions in terror-financing instances and the shutdown of over 90 establishments linked to extremist teams.
On Hafiz Saeed, the founding father of Lashkar-e-Taiba and one other key determine wished by India, Bhutto mentioned, “That's factually not appropriate… He's within the custody of the Pakistani state.”The interview comes as Pakistan faces rising stress following the discharge of the World Terrorism Index 2025. The report ranked Pakistan because the second-most terrorism-affected nation, citing a forty five% spike in terror-related deaths. The rise has been linked to the resurgence of militant teams close to the Afghan border.
Why is Masood Azhar ‘wished' in India?
Masood Azhar has lengthy been one among India's most wished terrorists. He was launched from Indian custody in 1999 in trade for hostages on the hijacked Indian Airways flight IC-814.
Quickly after his launch, Azhar based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), which has been linked to a number of assaults on Indian navy and civilian targets.
Azhar has been on the run after being mentioned to be the mastermind behind the 2001 Parliament assault, the 2016 Pathankot airbase assault, and the 2019 Pulwama bombing, amongst others. These assaults led to the deaths of dozens of Indian safety personnel and civilians, and escalated tensions between the 2 neighbours.
India has repeatedly requested Pakistan to take motion in opposition to Azhar and hand him over. On Might 7, 2025, India launched missile strikes on terrorist camps inside Pakistan in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror assault. One of many targets was Jaish-e-Mohammed's camp in Bahawalpur. Following the strike, the demise of ten of his relations, together with his sister, nephew, nieces, and different shut family was confirmed.
India flags terror funding threat in IMF help to Pakistan
Following the Might 7 strikes, India accused Pakistan of rebuilding the very terror infrastructure that had been destroyed. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh raised considerations about Pakistan's intent and worldwide monetary assist to it.
“Pakistan will spend the tax collected from its residents to offer round Rs 14 crore to Masood Azhar, the pinnacle of Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist organisation, although he's a UN-designated terrorist,” Singh mentioned.
He additionally alleged that the Pakistan authorities introduced monetary help to rebuild the fear bases of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed in Muridke and Bahawalpur.
The defence minister additionally known as on the Worldwide Financial Fund (IMF) to rethink its current $1 billion help to Islamabad.
“Actually, a big a part of IMF's one billion {dollars} help will likely be used to fund the fear infrastructure. Will this not be thought-about oblique funding by IMF, a global organisation? Any monetary help to Pakistan is a minimum of terror funding. The funds India offers to IMF shouldn't be used, instantly or not directly, to create terror infrastructure in Pakistan or some other nation,” Singh had mentioned.
