In a move sparking outrage and international concern, Pakistan may end up paying ₹14 crore in compensation to UN-designated terrorist Masood Azhar, after 14 of his family members were reportedly killed in the recent Indian airstrikes carried out under Operation Sindoor.
According to a press release issued by the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced a comprehensive relief and compensation package, including ₹1 crore for each individual killed in the Indian air raids. The strikes, conducted on May 7, targeted terror camps in Bahawalpur, a known operational base of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and home to its headquarters at Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah, also referred to as the Usman-o-Ali campus.
A statement attributed to Azhar confirmed that the casualties included his elder sister and her husband, a nephew and his wife, a niece, and five children among others — all part of his extended family. With Azhar potentially being the sole surviving legal heir, the entire ₹14 crore compensation package could go to him.
In addition to the monetary compensation, PM Sharif has also promised to rebuild structures destroyed in the strikes — a move that has drawn scrutiny from Indian authorities. Indian defence officials maintain that the strikes were precision-targeted operations aimed solely at terror infrastructure, not civilian areas. India is expected to closely monitor any reconstruction, wary that these sites may once again be used for terror-related activities.
This development comes at a time of heightened tension between India and Pakistan, with diplomatic circles now watching closely how Pakistan’s internal relief measures for terrorists might influence the already fragile bilateral ties.
