Claim
Pakistan continues to shelter and pamper Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar on its soil.
“पाकिस्तान ने जैश-ए-मोहम्मद का सरगना मसूद अजर को पाकिस्तान में दामाद बनाकर रखा हुआ है।”▶ Watch source segment
Rationale
The core claim — that Pakistan shelters JeM chief Masood Azhar on its soil — is well supported as of the broadcast date. Azhar, a UN-designated terrorist since 2019, has issued video and audio addresses from seminaries in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, in 2024-2026; his family members were killed in India's May 2025 strike on JeM's Bahawalpur headquarters (by his own admission); and multiple 2025-2026 reports describe JeM openly rebuilding its Bahawalpur base and fundraising while Azhar remains free and unprosecuted. Pakistan officially denies knowing his whereabouts (Bilawal Bhutto suggested Afghanistan), but this denial is contradicted by Azhar's own broadcasts from Pakistani soil. The 'दामाद बनाकर' (treated like a son-in-law) phrasing is rhetorical hyperbole, but the underlying factual assertion of shelter and tolerance is consistent with available evidence, so the claim rates accurate rather than misleading; confidence is tempered because his exact current location is not independently verified.
Evidence
- https://theprint.in/world/jaish-chief-masood-azhar-surfaces-to-make-first-speech-in-two-decades-vows-war-on-india/2386344/ Masood Azhar surfaced with a video address from a seminary in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, vowing renewed jihad against India — his first public speech in two decades. ✗ unreachable · HTTP 403
- https://www.businesstoday.in/india/story/massive-masood-azhars-10-family-members-killed-in-indian-strikes-on-jem-terror-hubs-in-bahawalpur-475049-2025-05-07 After India's May 2025 Operation Sindoor strike on JeM's Bahawalpur headquarters, Azhar himself said 10 family members and 4 aides were killed there — confirming his family and network were based on Pakistani soil. ✓ reachable · archived
- https://www.india.com/news/world/jaish-back-in-action-pakistans-bahawalpur-becomes-terror-hub-again-as-jem-hq-being-rebuilt-terrorist-masood-azhar-calls-for-secret-donation-jihad-online-campaign-7996993/ Reports that JeM is rebuilding its Bahawalpur headquarters and Azhar is running fundraising campaigns, including audio messages from Markaz Usman-o-Ali in Bahawalpur. ✗ unreachable · HTTP 403
- https://iol.co.za/the-star/news/2026-05-07-year-after-operation-sindoor-pakistans-terror-proxies-are-back-in-the-open/ One year after Operation Sindoor (May 2026), JeM and other Pakistan-based groups reported operating openly again with rebuilt infrastructure and public appearances. ✗ unreachable · HTTP 403
- https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/world/where-is-masood-azhar-bilawal-bhutto-says-jaish-founder-no-longer-in-pakistan-seeks-information-from-india-2025-07-05-997517 Counterpoint: Pakistan's Bilawal Bhutto claimed (July 2025) Islamabad cannot locate Azhar and suggested he may be in Afghanistan — the official Pakistani denial. ✓ reachable · archived
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masood_Azhar Background: Azhar is a UN Security Council 1267-designated terrorist (listed May 2019); JeM is headquartered in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, and Azhar has never been prosecuted by Pakistan for terrorism against India. ✓ reachable · archived