Indian authorities have strongly condemned Pakistan for failing to take decisive action against Masood Azhar, the leader of the Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), after reports emerged of him delivering a hate speech in Bahawalpur. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has called for immediate measures to bring Azhar to justice, citing his involvement in numerous terror attacks on Indian soil, including the 2001 Parliament attack and the 2019 Pulwama attack.
During a press briefing on Friday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal expressed frustration at Pakistan’s continued inaction. “If the reports about his speech are true, it exposes Pakistan’s duplicity on the issue of terrorism,” he stated. Jaiswal called on Pakistan to take “strong action” against Azhar, emphasizing that the time has come for justice for the terrorist leader who has been linked to devastating attacks against India.
According to reports, Azhar’s speech, delivered in November 2024, included incendiary remarks against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he referred to as a “mouse.” Azhar also vowed to escalate terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, reigniting concerns over his ongoing efforts to incite violence.
Masood Azhar, who leads JeM, has long been a central figure in attacks targeting India. In addition to the Pulwama bombing, which killed 40 Indian soldiers in 2019, Azhar has been implicated in several other deadly assaults. India has called for consistent and credible action from Pakistan to end Azhar’s ability to carry out further terrorist activities and to comply with its international commitments to combat terrorism.
The latest developments have further intensified calls from India for Pakistan to take responsibility and end Azhar’s unchecked influence, highlighting the growing urgency of addressing terrorism at the international level.
