Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), which claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack does not exist in Pakistan, the military's spokesperson has said. Interestingly, this statement comes days after Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi admitted that the terror outfit's chief Maulana Masood Azhar is present in the country.
The spokesperson of Pakistan Armed Forces Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor has said Jaish doesn't exist in his country. UN-listed terror group JeM has claimed responsibility for the February 14 terror attack in Pulwama that killed more than 40 CRPF personnel.
Speaking to a western media outlet, Ghafoor said, "First of all that claim has not been made from within Pakistan because Jaish-e-mohammad does not exist in Pakistan. It has been proscribed by United Nations and Pakistan."
Accepting Pakistan is acting on terror groups but without "anybody's pressure", Ghafoor said, "Instead of blaming Pakistan world should assist and facilitate us in getting rid of such organisations."
The development comes days after Pakistan's foreign minister SM Qureshi has not only accepted that Jaish chief Masood Azhar is in Pakistan but also talked about "people" being in touch with him.
In an interview to CNN, Qureshi said, "He (Masood Azhar) is in Pakistan, according to my information. He is very unwell. He is unwell to the extent that he cannot leave his house because he is really unwell. That's the information I have."
To BBC, Qureshi said, "people over here" contacted JeM leadership in the aftermath of Pulwama terror attack.
Many will see this as the Pakistani army and the civilian leadership not being on the same page.
Pakistan on Tuesday took JeM chief Azhar's son and brother in preventive detention but the move is seen as an eyewash by Delhi.
France, UK and US have proposed the listing JeM chief Masood Azhar as an international terrorist. He is scheduled to be listed as a terrorist under the United Nation terror list on 13 March if no country raises an objection. China has been blocking his listing since 2016 citing lack of consensus. Jaish-e-Mohammad does not exist in the country
