Mohammad Tahir Anwar, brother of Masood Azhar and a long-time associate of Jaish-e-Mohammed, has died in Pakistan, with authorities yet to confirm the cause of death.
The outfit announced his demise through an official communication, stating that funeral prayers would be held at Jamia Masjid Usman Wali in Bahawalpur. No further details were disclosed regarding the circumstances leading to his death.
According to media reports, including those by India Today, there has been no indication of illness or any specific incident, leaving questions unanswered about the events preceding his death.
Anwar had been associated with the group’s activities for several years. Jaish-e-Mohammed, designated as a terrorist organisation by multiple countries, has been linked to several major attacks in India, including 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 targeted infrastructure linked to the group, particularly in Bahawalpur, which is widely regarded as one of its strongholds. One such operation, referred to as Operation Sindoor, followed a deadly attack in Pahalgam on April 22 that claimed 26 lives. The strike reportedly caused significant damage to key facilities, including Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah, a major complex associated with the outfit.
While the group has rarely acknowledged losses publicly, a senior commander had earlier admitted that several members of Azhar’s family were killed in the Bahawalpur strike, marking an unusual disclosure.
Anwar’s death comes at a time when the organisation remains under scrutiny, with uncertainty persisting over both the circumstances of his passing and the broader status of its operations.
