In a candid interview with Al Jazeera, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader and former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari stated that Pakistan has no confirmed information about the whereabouts of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar. He claimed Pakistan would act swiftly if credible evidence is provided by India placing the UN-designated terrorist on Pakistani soil.
“We are willing to cooperate, but as of now, India has not shared concrete proof that Masood Azhar is in Pakistan,” Bhutto said, pushing back against repeated Indian assertions that Azhar is being sheltered by Islamabad. “If and when New Delhi provides actionable intelligence, we would have no hesitation in arresting him.”
Bhutto suggested that Pakistan’s intelligence community believes Azhar could be in Afghanistan, citing his historical involvement with militant groups during the Afghan jihad. “Given the chaos that unfolded after NATO's withdrawal and the Taliban’s resurgence, it is plausible that he moved across the border,” he said.
Dismissing accusations of state protection for terror groups, Bhutto added, “We have no interest in allowing any individual of international concern to operate from our territory. It's in our own national interest to ensure such elements are not active in Pakistan.”
Masood Azhar remains one of India’s most wanted fugitives, accused of masterminding or facilitating major terror attacks including the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, the 2008 Mumbai terror strikes, the 2016 Pathankot airbase attack, and the 2019 Pulwama bombing that killed 40 CRPF personnel.
Despite being designated a global terrorist by the United Nations Security Council in 2019, and having been released from Indian custody in 1999 during the IC-814 Kandahar hijacking, Azhar’s precise location remains a mystery. Indian agencies maintain that he remains in Pakistan, operating under state protection — a charge Islamabad has consistently denied.
When questioned about the delay in Pakistan's action, Bhutto emphasized the importance of bilateral and global intelligence sharing. “Just as countries have coordinated on threats in London or New York, we believe cooperation is key. We’ve foiled many plots through such partnerships,” he said.
Bhutto's remarks come at a time when India is pressing the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the global community to take stricter measures against countries allegedly harbouring terrorists.
