New Delhi: Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar, a UN-designated terrorist, is likely to receive Rs 14 crore in compensation from the Pakistan government after the deaths of 14 family members in Indian airstrikes.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a sweeping relief package, promising Rs 1 crore per deceased to the legal heirs of those killed in the strikes, as per a Pakistan PMO press release.
Executed under ‘Operation Sindoor’ in the wee hours on May 7, the airstrikes targeted terrorist infrastructure in Bahawalpur, Pakistan’s 12th-largest city and a JeM stronghold, located roughly 400 km from Lahore.
The measured, coordinated and precision strikes destroyed JeM’s headquarters, housed at Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah – which is also known as the Usman-o-Ali campus.
A statement linked to Azhar revealed the casualties included his wife, elder sister, brother in law, nephew, niece and five children from his extended family.
As the potential sole legal heir, Azhar could claim Rs 1 crore for each of the 14 deceased, totaling Rs 14 crore.
The “relief assistance”, which also includes rebuilding homes destroyed in the strikes, has strirred international debate. Indian defence officials have already clarified that the May 7 operations were surgical – striking only terror camps and sparing civilian zones.
Pakistan’s pledge to reconstruct these structures has raised alarms, with India poised to scrutinise whether they will be repurposed for terrorist activities.
The development underscores the ongoing tensions between the two countries, with New Delhi expected to closely monitor Islamabad’s actions amid concerns about the potential misuse of relief efforts.
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