Maulana Masood Azhar, the founder of the terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), reportedly suffered a heart attack, according to News18. He is being moved to Karachi, Pakistan, for treatment, with specialist doctors from Islamabad flown in to assist. The incident occurred while Azhar was in Afghanistans Khost province, a known hub for terrorist activities.From hijack to terror networkAzhar rose to notoriety after his release during the 1999 IC-814 plane hijacking, where Indian officials conceded to the demands of hijackers in exchange for hostages&#39 lives. Following his release, Azhar founded JeM, an organization responsible for numerous terror attacks in India, including aiding the planning of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.Pakistan&#39s role under scrutinyJeM, blacklisted by the United Nations, has long been accused by India of receiving support and safe harbor from the Pakistani state. Despite Pakistans denials, evidence linking its government to JeMs activities continues to surface. India has consistently condemned Pakistan for using terrorism as an “instrument of foreign policy,” asserting that groups like JeM are part of a larger terror infrastructure supported by Islamabad.Global threatWhile JeMs primary focus has been India, its operations extend globally, with involvement in terror plots in the United States, Australia, Canada, and the UK. Masood Azhar remains a key figure in this network, despite international sanctions and global condemnation of his actions.As Azhar undergoes treatment in Karachi, questions about Pakistan&#39s role in shielding and supporting such individuals continue to intensify.
