Islamabad: Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar, the prime mastermind of the Pathankot airbase terror attack, has finally been arrested, according to Pakistani media reports. Masood was detained by the Pakistani intelligence agencies two days ago in Islamabad.
As per reports, Masood was captured after a siege was laid by Pakistan Police to nab him. Azhar is the same terrorist, who was released by the Indian government in 1999 in exchange of 155 passengers held hostage in an Indian Airlines aircraft IC -814 that was hijacked to Kandhar in Afghanistan. Masood was hiding at his brother-in-law Ashfaq Ahmed's house when the arrest was made.
According to reports, Pakistan Police raided the place after getting inputs from their sources in Peshawar. Police also took some of his family members into custody to confirm Masood's identification.
As per Pakistani daily 'The News', Azhar has been taken to a secret location and is being interrogated by the Pakistani agencies for his alleged involvement in the Pathankot terror attack case.
Azhar was born in Bahawalpur and stays there with his family. He is being accused of providing training to Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists to carry out terror activities against India. In 2014, a warning was issued by Indian intelligence officials that Azhar was plotting in Pakistan to hijack an Indian airplane.
Will Pakistan take action against Masood Azhar?
After the 2008 Mumbai attack, Pakistan detained Lashkar-e-Toiba commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi as a result of international pressure, but later released him.
Pakistan also released Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, accused of masterminding 2008 Mumbai attack, citing lack of enough evidence against him.
Judges of anti-terrorism court, formed specially to conduct trial in 26/11 attack case, have been frequently changed, causing much delay to hearing in the case.
