In a move that is likely to stir international controversy, Pakistan has reportedly sanctioned a compensation package amounting to ₹14 crore for the family of UN-designated global terrorist and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief, Maulana Masood Azhar. The development, reported by The Tribune India, suggests that Azhar may receive ₹1 crore per individual for the 14 family members and close associates he allegedly lost during the Indian Air Force’s airstrike on JeM’s headquarters in Bahawalpur. The compensation is reportedly intended for the legal heirs of those killed. Given Azhar's position as head of the family and the organization, legal interpretations could make him the primary recipient of the full amount. Sources also indicate that the Pakistani government may extend the compensation package to include rebuilding homes destroyed in the airstrikes.
The Indian airstrike, conducted in response to a major terrorist attack in Pulwama in 2019, targeted the JeM training facility housed in the Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah complex in Bahawalpur. In a rare public statement, Azhar confirmed that 14 people — including 10 members of his own family and four close associates — died in the missile attack. Among the deceased were his elder sister, her husband, a nephew and his wife, a niece, and five children. One of Azhar’s close confidants and his mother were also reported killed. Bahawalpur, located in Punjab province of Pakistan, has long been considered the operational hub of Jaish-e-Mohammed, especially after Azhar’s release from Indian custody in exchange for passengers of the hijacked Indian Airlines flight IC-814 in 1999.
This reported compensation has raised eyebrows internationally, as it comes despite Masood Azhar's status as a UN-designated global terrorist. The United Nations Security Council listed Azhar in May 2019, following years of lobbying by India and its allies. The decision came after China lifted its long-standing technical hold on the proposal to blacklist him. Azhar has remained out of public view since April 2019 and is believed to be hiding in a heavily guarded location in or around Bahawalpur. India has repeatedly accused Pakistan of providing safe haven to terrorist leaders and failing to dismantle the infrastructure of jihadist groups operating on its soil. If these reports are confirmed, Pakistan could face renewed diplomatic pressure from the international community, particularly from India, which has consistently called for stronger action against terror networks operating from Pakistani territory. As of now, there has been no official statement from the Pakistani government confirming or denying the compensation. However, the implications of the reported payout — to a figure widely considered one of the architects of cross-border terrorism in South Asia — are likely to be far-reaching.