NEW DELHI: Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir, reportedly held a secret meeting with Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, according to reports. Pakistan’s government has issued no official statement on the matter, and the claim has not been independently verified.
The reports say the meeting took place on September 16 and lasted about two and a half hours, in a guest room previously set aside for Munir. Mufti Abdul Rahim and Maulana Tahir Ashrafi are also said to have attended. The reports describe Azhar as a militant leader whom Pakistan itself has designated as a wanted criminal, with a reward announced for his capture. Speculation in some quarters holds that the meeting was aimed at planning action against India, though no evidence for this has been presented.
The reports surfaced shortly after militant attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. Security forces suspect Jaish-e-Mohammed was behind the killing of two special police officers in Kishtwar, while reports say an attack on a CRPF checkpoint in Kulgam was carried out on the orders of Lashkar-e-Taiba. The timing has raised questions in India about the army’s intentions, though no link between the meeting and the attacks has been established.
Pakistan has consistently maintained that it is itself a victim of terrorism and is working to dismantle militant networks on its soil. It has repeatedly denied having ties to terrorist groups. Critics in India say the reported meeting contradicts those claims, and it could add to international scrutiny of Islamabad if confirmed.