Jaish chief Masood Azhar’s brother Tahir Anwar dies in Pakistan, cause unclear

Mohammad Tahir Anwar, brother of Masood Azhar and a long-time associate of the militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed, has died in Pakistan, with authorities yet to confirm the cause of death.

The group announced his death through an official communication, stating that funeral prayers would be held late Monday night at Jamia Masjid Usman Wali in Bahawalpur. No further details were provided regarding the circumstances surrounding his death.

According to reports by India Today, there has been no mention of illness or any specific incident, leaving unanswered questions about the events leading up to his death.

Anwar had been actively involved in the organisation’s activities for several years. Jaish-e-Mohammed, which is designated as a terrorist organisation by multiple countries, has been linked to a series of high-profile attacks in India. These include the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, the 2016 Pathankot attack, the 2016 Uri attack, and the 2019 Pulwama attack.

Indian security forces have, in recent years, carried out strikes targeting Jaish infrastructure across the border, including in Bahawalpur, widely regarded as the group’s stronghold. One such operation, identified as Operation Sindoor, followed a deadly attack in Pahalgam on 22 April that left 26 people dead.

The strike reportedly caused extensive damage to key facilities, including Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah, a major Jaish complex in Bahawalpur. According to officials and later admissions from within the group, several close relatives of Masood Azhar were among those killed, along with multiple aides.

While Jaish-e-Mohammed has rarely acknowledged losses publicly, a senior commander had last year conceded that members of Azhar’s family were killed in the Bahawalpur strike, marking an unusual admission by the outfit.

Anwar’s death comes amid continued scrutiny of the group’s activities and infrastructure in Pakistan, with questions persisting over both the circumstances of his death and the broader state of the organisation.