India has slammed Pakistan for allowing Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Maulana Masood Azhar to “spew venom” at an anti-India rally, asserting that “once is once to many”.
Azhar, who had been released by India as part of the Kandahar hijacking deal, has recently re-emerged and has publicly addressed rallies - a worrying indication that there could be a focus on Kashmir as a result of the US drawdown in Afghanistan.
“Our view about Masood Azhar is that he is a leader of a terrorist organisation. This is a terrorist organisation not only banned in India but banned by the United Nations Security Council, also banned by the US and more importantly banned by Pakistan. And therefore, as far as we are concerned, once is one too many times,” said external affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin.
His last phrase was in response to the Pakistan foreign office spokeperson dismissing Azhar’s rally in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir on January 26 as a “one-time event”. “We have zero tolerance for terrorist and it is obviously a matter of concern to us that a terrorist who is banned globally is able to spew venom on India,” the spokesperson said.