India’s Operation Sindoor has delivered a major blow to Pakistan’s terror network. In a significant strike, Indian air raids reportedly killed Abdul Rauf Azhar, operational chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed. He was also a key conspirator in the 2002 kidnapping and murder of American-Jewish journalist Daniel Pearl.
According to News18 sources, Indian forces hit nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Wednesday. One of the biggest strikes was at JeM’s Markaz Subhan Allah complex in Bahawalpur. That attack reportedly killed Rauf Azhar along with ten members of Masood Azhar’s family. JeM chief Masood Azhar later confirmed the deaths in a statement.
Azhar Linked to Pearl Killing and IC-814 Hijacking
Rauf Azhar, the younger brother of JeM founder Masood Azhar, played a key role in the 1999 IC-814 hijacking. That hijacking forced India to release Al-Qaeda terrorist Omar Saeed Sheikh. Sheikh later kidnapped and murdered Daniel Pearl in Karachi. Pearl’s brutal killing shocked the world and exposed deep links between Pakistan-based groups and global jihad.
In a major development, Indian air raids removed one of the last surviving masterminds of both terror plots. Indian officials said they had tracked Azhar’s movements for years. They confirmed that Wednesday’s precision strike marked the culmination of long surveillance.
Daniel Pearl’s Father Issues Sharp Rebuke
Meanwhile, Daniel Pearl’s father reacted strongly to reports of Pakistani officials attending Azhar’s funeral. “I wish these dignitaries could tell us: What exactly are you mourning? What role models do you wish your children to revere? What have you learned from this man?” he said in a public statement.
I want to thank all of you who reached out to me today in response to the news that India’s military forces have eliminated Abdul Rauf Azhar—a man described as ‘responsible for the kidnapping and murder of my son, Daniel.’
I want to clarify: Azhar was a Pakistani extremist and…
— Judea Pearl (@yudapearl) May 8, 2025
Reports claim Pakistan Army officers and government officials joined the funeral. Critics see this as fresh evidence of state support for terrorists. Observers have also questioned why global financial institutions like the World Bank and IMF continue to fund Pakistan. “They use aid for terror sponsorship,” one analyst alleged.
India, under Operation Sindoor, has made its message clear. It will strike across borders to eliminate terror threats. Officials said the strikes not only avenged the Pahalgam massacre but also honoured the memory of victims like Daniel Pearl.
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