India seeks action against JeM commander Masood Azhar and urged Pakistan to avoid "duplicity" on terrorism.

Additionally, Mr. Randhir Jaiswal questioned Pakistan's steadfast claim that Azhar is not in the nation.

On Friday, December 6, 2024, India urged Pakistan to take decisive action against Masood Azhar, the leader of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), following allegations that he recently spoke at a public event in the Pakistani city of Bahawalpur.

According to New Delhi, Pakistan's "duplicity" in claiming the JeM head is not in that nation has been exposed if the allegations about Azhar's whereabouts are accurate.

The UN Security Council named Azhar a global terrorist in 2019, the same year he was identified as the mastermind of the Pulwama terror incident.

"The UN has labeled him as a terrorist. At his weekly media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, "We demand that strong action be taken against him, that he is brought to justice."

When questioned about rumors that Azhar spoke at a public event in Bahawalpur last month, he made these comments.

Additionally, Mr. Jaiswal questioned Pakistan's steadfast claim that Azhar is not in the nation.

"The fact that he is not in Pakistan has been denied. "It reveals Pakistan's deceit if the reports [about his whereabouts] are accurate," he remarked.

"Masood Azhar is involved in cross-border terror attacks against India and we want that strong action be taken against him," Jaiswal continued.

Bilawal Bhutto, the foreign minister of Pakistan at the time, allegedly said in 2022 that Azhar had escaped to Afghanistan.

In 1999, India freed Azhar in return for the hostages of Indian Airlines Flight 814 (IC814), which had been hijacked.

According to reports, Azhar claimed in his lecture last month that "fearful rulers" who reject "jihad" and the message of Allah have "led us to defeat" in Palestine, Kashmir, and other Muslim territories.

Azhar is also thought to have planned the 2016 Pathankot attacks and the 2001 Parliament terror plot.

India has been urging Pakistan to take strong action against the JeM chief for the past few years.