JeM chief Masood Azhar was never in Pakistan jail, last seen in terror outfit's headquarters

The Indian authorities have dismissed reports suggesting that Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar was lodged in Pakistan jail. Sources have told Zee News that the JeM chief was never in any jail in Pakistan.

According to sources, Azhar has been lying low and evading public appearances. His last known location was at the Markaz Subhanallah, the JeM headquarters in Bahawalpur, that also houses Azhar's residence. The sources further said that Azhar's health has also shown improvement but he avoids coming out and giving sermons. In May, he has listed as an international terrorist by the United Nation Security Council's 1267 committee.

The development comes amid reports that Pakistan is stocking large quantities of arms and ammunition along the Line of Control (LoC) along with stationing thousands of soldiers and terrorists in its bid to provoke India. Pakistan's move is one more desperate attempt to raise tension over India's move to scrap Article 370 and end Jammu and Kashmir's special status. A Pulwama-style terror strike is also being planned by Pakistan.

The arms and ammunition are to be supplied to terrorists waiting to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir by crossing the LoC. The weapons have been kept at Rawalakot's Rakh Chakri sector in PoK in an area manned by ​​10 Baloch Regiment of Pakistani Army.

Pakistan's spy agency ISI has also upped its efforts to create disturbance in Jammu and Kashmir. The ISI has chalked out a plan to recruit 10,000 terrorists from the restive Waziristan region of its Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Sources added that camps have been set up by ISI to provide training to the new recruits before helping them cross over the LoC to launch terror attacks in India.

According to news agency ANI, since the day of his designation by the United Nations as an international terrorist, Pakistan is keeping the chief of Jaish-e-Mohammad underground, preventing him from giving speeches in mosques or releasing audiotapes.

In May, ANI had reported that Azar have been shifted to a safe house in Islamabad from his residence in Bahawalpur by Pakistan's ISI. Pakistan has been hiding Azar and his relatives from the public glare ever since the Pulwama attack against 40 CRPF personnel in February.

Azhar was released from prison in exchange of passengers of hijacked IC-814 flight of Indian Airlines in 1999. Months after he was allowed to walk free, Azhar formed JeM and planned several ghastly terror strikes in India. It is to be that JeM was involved in attacks on Parliament House, Pathankot air force base, army camps in Jammu and Uri, and Pulwama suicide attack.