Kabul Rejects Pakistan's Masood Azhar Claim, Says JeM Founder Not In Afghanistan

The Taliban has firmly denied Pakistan's assertion that Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar is hiding within Afghanistan's borders. An Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesperson reiterated that Afghan soil will not be utilized against any other nation. Pakistan has persistently claimed Azhar sought refuge in Afghanistan to escape international scrutiny, particularly following pressure from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

The global watchdog is scheduled to evaluate Pakistan's anti-terrorism measures during its upcoming plenary session. Azhar remains a wanted fugitive in India, convicted for a series of high-profile attacks including the 2001 Indian Parliament assault, the 2008 Mumbai carnage, the 2016 Pathankot airbase siege, and the 2019 Pulwama bombing.

Pakistan's ties to terror financing had led to its placement on the FATF grey list from 2018 to 2022, primarily due to its failure to curb funding for JeM and Lashkar-e-Taiba. To be removed from the grey list, Pakistan was compelled to take measures such as banning JeM and LeT, as well as convicting leaders of these groups in absentia.

In 2021, Azhar was designated as a global terrorist by the UN Security Council. In 2022, Pakistan was allowed to exit the grey list under the condition that the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering would continue monitoring its performance, specifically regarding efforts to apprehend Azhar. Following its removal from the grey list and a decrease in international pressure, Pakistan has reportedly retreated from its previous commitments to FATF.

The Taliban government spokesperson has repeatedly denied that Azhar is in Afghanistan or that Pakistan has communicated his presence to Afghan authorities.