Intel agencies trying to ascertain reports on Masood Azhar\'s death: Officials

Intel agencies trying to ascertain reports on Masood Azhar's death: Officials

Press Trust of India  |  New Delhi 

Intelligence agencies were trying to ascertain reports on the about the death of in Pakistan, officials said on Sunday.

A resident of Bahawalpur in Pakistan's province, Azhar formed the in 2000.

The 50-year-old Azhar, who was released by the NDA government in 1999 in exchange of hostages of the hijacked plane IC-814, has been accused of being the mastermind of the 2001 Parliament attack, suicide attack on state assembly, attack on Pathankot IAF base and the latest Pulwama terror strike.

The was filled with reports that Azhar had died, but there was no confirmation as of now, the officials said.

Jaish terror group's Balakot camp, where training was imparted to recruits to carry out suicide attacks, was targeted by the IAF in an air strike last week, following the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

The government has claimed that it achieved a spectacular success by destroying the facility.

In an interview to CNN, earlier admitted that the JeM is in and is "very unwell", but said the government can act against him only if presents "solid" and "inalienable" evidence that can stand in a court of law.

"He is in Pakistan, according to my information. He is unwell to the extent that he can't leave his house, because he's really unwell," Qureshi said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Sun, March 03 2019. 19:35 IST