Pakistan formally approaches Afghanistan for arrest of JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan has sent a letter to the administration of Afghanistan, asking it to trace and arrest banned militant outfit Jaish E Mohammad (JeM) chief Maulan Masood Azhar.

Reports said Pakistan believes that Azhar was hiding in the neighbouring country, most probably in its Nangarhar and Kunar provinces.

Foreign Office is yet to confirm the development.

In the letter, the Afghan administration, which is being controlled by the Taliban since August 2021, has been asked to locate, report and arrest the head of the militant organization, allegedly involved in various terrorist activities.

It is not yet confirmed whether Maulana Masood Azhar moved to Afghanistan before the Taliban gained control of the country or after that.

Pakistan formally imposed a ban on JeM over terrorism activities in 2002 when General (retd) Pervez Musharraf was ruling the country.

Azhar, who allegedly planned various terrorist attacks, was declared a global terrorist by the United Nations Security Council in 2019.