On Monday, Pakistan is said to have "secretly" released Masood Azhar from detention amid heightened tensions with India over New Delhi’s decision to strip Jammu and Kashmir of its special status, according to the Hindustan Times.
The report claims, citing unnamed officials with knowledge of developments, that the release of the Jaish-e Mohammad chief could lead to terror attacks in India.
Pakistani officials have yet to comment, but the country has repeatedly denied Indian accusations that it provides a safe haven for terrorists.
The report also indicates that additional Pakistani troops have been deployed along the Indian border in western Rajasthan as tension between the nuclear-armed rivals has risen following India’s decision to revoke Kashmir''s special constitutional status.
New Delhi has also put its armed forces on alert and the chief of the Indian army has been visiting forward areas to review the preparedness of the troops.
On 6 September, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said New Delhi’s decision to strip Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and bifurcate the state into two federally administered territories “poses challenges to Pakistan’s security and integrity.”
"We are prepared to give the enemy the fullest possible response. Failing that, the world community will be responsible for the catastrophic aftermath," Khan warned.
Earlier in August, Khan had threatened, “if the world does nothing to stop Indian assault on Kashmir and its people, there will be consequences for the whole world as two nuclear-armed states get ever closer to a direct military confrontation.”
Last week, India designated the Jaish-e-Mohammed chief as a terrorist under the newly enacted anti-terror law, which allows New Delhi to name individuals it believes are involved in terrorism.
Azhar is wanted in India for several terror attacks, the latest being the Phulwama attack in February in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 40 soldiers were killed by a suicide bomber. Jaish-e-Mohammad claimed responsibility for the attack. Azhar is also an accused of being involved in the deadly Mumbai terror attacks in 2008.
Kashmir has been a bone of contention between the two countries since they gained freedom from British colonial rule in 1947. Both govern it in parts but claim the territory in full.
