There have been several reports about the fate of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief, Masood Azhar, with some reports even suggesting that the media in Pakistan has been instructed not to report anything about him
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NEW DELHI — There have been several reports about the fate of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief, Masood Azhar, with some reports even suggesting that the media in Pakistan has been instructed not to report anything about him.
Intelligence agencies are closely tracking developments within the Jaish-e-Mohammad. An Intelligence Bureau official said that recent reports suggest that Azhar’s health has deteriorated considerably and he is in no position to walk. However, the ISI wants this to be a secret and hence has managed to black out information. The directive not to report anything about Azhar was given to the Pakistani media following Operation Sindoor.
Another official said that Azhar has been relatively quiet after the Balakot airstrikes, which hit a training facility of his outfit. He made only one appearance after that, and since then, he has not been seen in public. Only the audio clips keep circulating, and the authenticity of none could be verified. However, some of the clips that have come out are old, and this has been done to keep the morale of the cadres up.
The news of Azhar’s illness was even confirmed by the former foreign minister of Pakistan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi. Officials say that Azhar has always had health issues, but the condition has worsened in recent times.
An audio clip of his that was circulated during Ramzan clearly indicated that he was sick, as his voice sounded frail. The ISI is aware that Azhar does not have much time, and even if his health improves slightly, he would not be able to lead the outfit.
The media blackout directive has clearly been given for two reasons, another official said. While one of the main reasons is to keep the morale of the cadre high, the other is to ensure that a peaceful and smooth transition takes place, where the leadership is concerned.
Apart from the Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Jaish-e-Mohammad is very important for the ISI, especially when it comes to the Kashmir issue. Many still look up to Azhar as a hero and are willing to work under his leadership.
Pakistan watchers say that the transition period is very crucial. The ISI has realised this and wants to go through with this process as soon as possible.
There are too many questions being asked, and speculation is high. They would like to break the news to the cadre while ensuring there is no shake-up in the ranks.
The question is who will now lead the outfit in Azhar's absence. The Jaish-e-Mohammad has formed a women’s wing, which is being led by Sadiya Azhar, the sister of Masood Azhar. The ISI was quick to make her the head so that the family would remain in control of the outfit.
Azhar’s second in command was Abdul Rauf Azhar. There has been speculation relating to his death that surfaced in 2025. Officials say that if Abdul Rauf is alive, then he is the most likely successor.
The ISI would, however, not want him to operate in the open, and there is a risk that he could be eliminated. The ISI would want to put Talha-al-Saif in charge of the operations. He is the brain behind the setting of a women’s group of the outfit. After Azhar and Rauf, he is the senior-most in the Jaish-e-Mohammad and till date is held in very high regard by the cadres.
An official said that the number of people in the top rung would be very limited. The outfit is rebuilding, and the ISI feels that too many cooks will spoil the broth.
The top command would have just five people, and the aim would be to focus on recruiting thousands to fight on the ground, the official said. The top leadership would comprise Sadiya, Talha-al-Saif, Mufti Asghar, the chief of operations, Mohammad Hassan, official spokesperson and Maulana Sari Masood Ahmed, the chief of the radicalisation and propaganda wing.
The official added that unless and until the ISI is able to structure the outfit correctly, not much can be done. Azhar would be reported. One can expect old audio clips to do the rounds as the ISI would want everyone to believe that he is still alive. Any knee-jerk announcement could jeopardise the ISI’s plans to restructure the Jaish-e-Mohammad and run it successfully, the official also added.