In recent weeks, rumors and old videos about Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar have been spreading online. However, Indian intelligence agencies confirm that after a recent operation called Sindoor, Azhar has been moved to a secure location for his safety.
Azhar has not appeared in public lately, but officials say this is because he’s under tight security. Sources suggest that he is actually feeling quite devastated right now. His group, Jaish-e-Mohammed, faced major setbacks during India’s Operation Sindoor, which hit their key bases hard.
One of the most significant targets was their headquarters in Bahawalpur, Pakistan. This building, once a symbol of Jaish-e-Mohammed’s strength, was destroyed completely in the strike. This loss has been a huge blow to the terror outfit, showing that Indian forces can reach deep into Pakistan.
The major reason Azhar appears so shaken is personal trauma. During the airstrikes aimed at retaliating for the attack in Pahalgam, Azhar reportedly lost ten of his family members. Indian intelligence officials believe his pain is more personal than strategic — these personal losses have deeply affected him.
After the operation, Azhar claimed that 10 family members and four aides had been killed. He said among the dead were his elder sister, her husband, and even some innocent children, as well as people in the Jaish-e-Mohammed’s headquarters in Bahawalpur. Despite claiming he feels no regret, many believe he’s feeling the emotional toll heavily.
His silence and absence from public view are causing concern among Jaish-e-Mohammed’s followers. The group has halted recruitment recently, and there’s uncertainty about who could succeed Azhar now. The leadership is trying to reassure members that he is safe and will return soon, using old videos of his speeches to maintain confidence. They insist his absence is due to security reasons, not illness or death.
Initially, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) wanted to move Azhar to Afghanistan, but fears about safety and strained relations with the Taliban made that too risky. Now, intelligence officials say he is hiding in Rawalpindi, under the close watch of the Pakistan Army. Reports suggest he was hospitalized recently for a heart attack and also underwent treatment for kidney failure.
Security experts believe Azhar will eventually recover and reappear, though it might take longer this time because of his personal losses. The Pakistan Army and ISI continue to shield him, considering him a key asset. Without Azhar, analysts say, Jaish-e-Mohammed’s influence could fade, as he remains their most important leader after Hafiz Saeed of Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Indian agencies are closely monitoring Azhar’s movements, confident that the terror leader will make a comeback sooner or later. As of now, he remains under protective custody, but the threat of his return keeps security agencies on high alert.
