Musharraf Calls Jem A Terror Outfit, Welcomes Pak. Action Against It

The intelligence apparatus had used it to carry out attacks in India during his tenure, claims the former President.

Former Pakistan President Gen. Pervez Musharraf (retd) on Wednesday said the Masood Azhar-led Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) was a terror outfit but indicated that his country’s intelligence had used it to carry out attacks in India during his tenure.

In a telephonic interview to Pakistani journalist Nadeem Malik of Hum News in his talk show, Gen. Musharraf, 75, who is currently in Dubai, welcomed the action against the JeM. He said it had tried to assassinate him twice in December 2003, as per a video clip shared on the journalist’s Facebook and Twitter page.

The JeM has claimed responsibility for the February 14 Pulwama attack that left 40 CRPF personnel dead.

Last month, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in an interview with CNN said Azhar was in Pakistan, but the government could act against him only if India presented “solid” and “inalienable” evidence that could stand in a court of law.

The Pakistan military, however, has denied the terror group’s presence in the country.

Amid mounting international pressure after the Pulwama attack, Pakistan on March 5 detained 44 members of the banned militant outfits, including Azhar’s son and brother.

Gen. Musharraf said, “This is a good move. I have always said that the JeM is a terrorist organisation and they only had carried out a suicide attack in an attempt to assassinate me. Action should be taken against them.”

Gen. Musharraf, who also served as Pakistan’s army chief, said action against the JeM should have been taken earlier.