Recent reports have surfaced regarding a new audio recording of Masood Azhar, the leader of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), delivering a speech at a mosque in Pakistan. This has triggered concerns and demands for action from India, highlighting Pakistan's alleged duplicity in addressing terrorist activities on its soil.
The speech, reportedly delivered in late November 2024 at the Umm-ul-Qura seminary and mosque complex near Bahawalpur, Pakistan, marks Azhar's first public address in over two decades. The location itself is a sprawling 1,000-acre facility that includes an administrative block and housing units. The timing of the speech coincided with the centennial of the collapse of the Turkish caliphate in 1924, with Azhar vowing renewed jihadist operations against India and Israel aimed at establishing a new global Islamic order.
In his address, Azhar reportedly made claims about JeM possessing 10,000 "fidayeens" (suicide attackers). He also allegedly said, "India, your death is coming," and encouraged the audience to join JeM in restoring the Islamic caliphate. Furthermore, he spoke about sending fighters to Kashmir with powerful weapons.
India has responded strongly to these reports, demanding that Pakistan take "strong action" against Azhar and bring him to justice. An Indian intelligence official familiar with JeM operations believes the speech was likely delivered at the Umm-ul-Qura seminary and mosque complex near Bahawalpur. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that if the reports are accurate, it would expose Pakistan's "duplicity" in addressing terrorist activities.
Masood Azhar is a controversial figure with a long history of involvement in terrorist activities. He is the founder and leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed, a Pakistan-based Islamic Deobandi jihadist organization. JeM has been responsible for numerous attacks against Indian targets, including the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, which brought India and Pakistan to the brink of war. Azhar was released from an Indian prison in 1999 in exchange for hostages after the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC814.
Despite being banned from making public appearances since 2003 after a JeM faction attempted to assassinate Pakistan's former military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, Azhar has seemingly resurfaced. Although Pakistani authorities had announced they had taken administrative control of the complex in 2019, reports indicate that Jaish-e-Muhammad has erected new buildings since then and posts armed guards to prevent unauthorized entry. In the past, Pakistan has repeatedly denied Azhar's presence in the country, even though it has been an open secret that he resides there.
This recent speech and the claims made within it raise serious concerns about JeM's intentions, capabilities, and plans to execute its pan-India ambitions. It also puts Pakistan under increased scrutiny regarding its commitment to combating terrorism.
