Pakistan has shifted Masood Azhar to safe zone: Indian intelligence sources

File photo

New Delhi: With India and the international community piling on the pressure, an unrepentant Pakistan is busy shifting terrorists to safe zones. Souces in the Indian intelligence agencies have said that Jaish chief Masood Azhar has also been moved.

According to sources, Azhar was moved from Rawalpindi to Kothgani near Bhawalpur on either February 17 or February 18 - days after his Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack on a CRPF convoy. 40 troopers were martyred in the dastardly attack, prompting India to come down heavily on Pakistan.

While Pakistan has said it has nothing to do with the Pulwama attack, India has warned that support to terrorists and terror groups across the border must end. It is a view strongly backed by the international community.

Instead, there are reports that Pakistan may have also tightened the security around Azhar. Security analysts have long maintained that the country's secret service agency ISI and the army shields and supports terrorist groups to wage proxy wars on India. Therefore, the will to act against such terror groups is woefully missing.

Last week, Pakistan had banned the 2008 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamat-ud-Dawa and its charity wing Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation. India has rejected it and said that 'cosmetic responses' won't suffice.

Tensions between the two countries are high with PM Narendra Modi saying India's armed forces have been given the freedom to choose a response to the Pulwama attack. Pakistan PM Imran Khan responded by saying any aggression would be dealt with effectively.