Mysterious Death of Jaish-e-Mohammed Leader in Pakistan Raises Eyebrows

Hakim Mohammad Tahir Anwar Found Dead

Bahawalpur: Reports indicate that Hakim Mohammad Tahir Anwar, a prominent figure in the terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed and brother of its leader Masood Azhar, was found dead under unclear circumstances in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, on Monday evening. This information has been circulating on pro-JeM Telegram channels. According to these messages, Anwar's funeral took place on the same night at Jamia Masjid Usman-o-Ali in Bahawalpur. He was one of five siblings of the JeM chief, as reported by various sources. However, there has been no official confirmation regarding Anwar's demise. Notably, he was known to have led armed factions of Jaish and later took charge of JeM’s Markaz Usman-o-Ali. If his death is verified, it could create a significant gap within the organization.

Sources suggest that Anwar had been overseeing terrorist training operations since 2001 and was responsible for managing and acquiring weapons for the group. Reports also mention that several high-ranking members of the organization were present at his funeral in Bahawalpur.

Previous Losses in the Family: It is worth noting that another of Azhar's brothers, Abdul Rauf Azhar, was killed during Indian military operations in May of the previous year. This operation, known as Operation Sindoor, targeted Jaish's base in Bahawalpur. Azhar himself acknowledged the loss of ten family members and four close associates during the Indian missile strikes. Bahawalpur has been a significant center for Jaish-e-Mohammed since Masood Azhar's release in exchange for the passengers of the hijacked IC-814 flight in 1999. The group has been implicated in numerous terrorist attacks in India, including the 2001 Parliament attack, the 2000 Jammu and Kashmir assembly strike, the 2016 Pathankot airbase attack, and the 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing. The Indian Armed Forces have conducted targeted strikes on known terrorist locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of at least 100 terrorists.