Pakistan arrests Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Maulana Masood Azhar: Reports

Islamabad, Jan 13: In what could be termed as a massive success for Indian agencies demanding action against terror groups, Jaish-e-Mohammed's chief Maulana Masood Azhar, along with several others, has been arrested in Pakistan, Geo News reported.

As per TV reports, Masood has been arrested by Pakistani authorities for questioning in connection with the Pathankot terror attack case. Also detained was his brother Mufti Abdul Rauf, media reports said.

Pak media reports were quoted as saying, "Masood has been taken into protective custody which means he is only a suspect, no case has been registered."

Meanwhile, MEA sources told CNN-IBN that there is no official confirmation on detention of Maulana Masood Azhar.

Azhar is being considered as the mastermind of the terror attack over Pathankot Air Force Station in which seven soldiers were killed.

Pakistan earlier said that several JeM activists had been arrested and its offices sealed as part of an investigation into the suspected Pakistani links to the January 2 terror attack.

Six Pakistani terrorists believed to be from the outlawed JeM sneaked into Punjab and raided the Indian Air Force base at Pathankot, killing seven security personnel.

Earlier an Indian official told OneIndia, India is likely to urge China in a bid to have Maulana Masood Azhar and his brother Abdul Rauf Asghar as international terrorists.

No amount of probe by Pakistan would be satisfactory if the two brothers who run the Jaish-e-Mohammad roam around freely.

Maulana Masood Azhar, who was once in Indian custody, had been released in exchange for the hostages taken by militants during the Khandahar hijack episode.

Following this incident, Azhar was released by India and in the aftermath of this he plotted the Parliament attack.

While Masood is the ideological head of the Jaish-e-Mohammad, his brother Rauf is the operations chief.

OneIndia News