Reports claim India's most-wanted terrorist Masood Azhar spotted in Pak.

Masood Azhar Spotted in Skardu Amid Renewed Tensions: Intel Reports

Fresh intelligence inputs have revealed that Masood Azhar, the chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed and one of India's most-wanted terrorists, has reportedly been spotted in Skardu, a town in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

According to a report by India Today, Azhar was seen near Sadpara Road—a relatively quiet area known for its religious seminaries, mosques, and guest houses. Despite being a globally sanctioned terrorist, his presence in a tourist-friendly region like Skardu may be an attempt to maintain a low profile amid mounting international pressure.

This revelation contradicts earlier claims made by Pakistan's former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who suggested that Azhar might have crossed into Afghanistan. Zardari had even gone on record to say that Pakistan would be open to handing him over to India if he were found on its soil

Two locations previously linked to Azhar—Jamia Subhan Allah, JeM’s central base, and Jamia Usman O Ali, a mosque near his earlier residence—were reportedly targeted by Indian airstrikes during Operation Sindoor, which allegedly resulted in the deaths of several of his family members.

Azhar has long been a symbol of cross-border terrorism. He was the mastermind behind the 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing that killed 40 CRPF personnel and the 2016 Pathankot airbase attack. Internationally sanctioned by the United Nations, the United States, and India, Azhar rose to infamy after his release from Indian custody in 1999 in exchange for the hostages of the hijacked IC-814 Indian Airlines flight—an event that led to the formation of JeM.

Indian intelligence and security agencies continue to monitor his whereabouts closely, especially as geopolitical tensions remain high in the region.