masood-azhar-s-brother-dies-mysteriously-in-pakistan

The news regarding the death of Mohammad Tahir Anwar, who is the brother of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, has been confirmed in Pakistan, but the exact circumstances behind his death still remain unclear. Tahir Anwar is an important part of the banned organisation’s hierarchy, as he has been an important part of the organisation’s operations for the past few years. The news regarding his death was conveyed through the official communication channels of the banned organisation, stating that the funeral prayers for the deceased individual will be held on Monday night at Jamia Masjid Usman Wali in Bahawalpur.

 

What is even more intriguing is that the announcement did not even refer to any illness or incident that may have occurred before this. This has created a lot of speculation regarding the cause of his death. This lack of transparency is causing a lot of concern among regional security experts, especially due to the high-profile nature of the person involved and the existing instability in the region.

 

Jaish-e-Mohammed is one organisation which has been the main focus of the Indian security agencies because of its role in some of the worst terror attacks carried out on Indian soil. The attacks include— 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament, the 2016 attacks on Pathankot and Uri, and the 2019 Pulwama suicide attack, which killed 40 CRPF personnel.

 

The leadership of the group has seen significant attrition in recent months. Last September, the JeM indirectly acknowledged the heavy toll being taken by the Indian precision attacks under 'Operation Sindoor'. The operation, which was carried out in retaliation for the terror attack in Pahalgam in April 2025, targeted the group’s headquarters in Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur. The operation is believed to have destroyed the headquarters completely, and ten of Masood Azhar’s close relatives, including his sister, were killed. While it is unclear if Tahir Anwar’s death is linked to the lingering effects of those operations or a separate development, his exit marks another significant blow to the Azhar family’s influence within the organisation.

 

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