Pakistan denies reports it has control of ‘JeM HQ’
Chaudhry says seized facility a madrasa, and action had nothing to do with Kashmir attack
Islamabad: Pakistan Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Saturday dismissed reports — emanating from Indian media — that the Pakistan government had taken administrative control of the headquarters of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militant group as “fabricated”.
Chaudhry said the facility was a madrasa where students receive education and the action had nothing to do with the Kashmir suicide bombing.
His comments came after the country’s Interior Ministry on Friday announced that the Punjab province’s government took administrative control of a mosque-and-seminary complex in Bahawalpur area which is believed to be the headquarters of Masoud Azhar’s JeM.
The militant group claimed the February 14 Kashmir suicide bombing that killed 49 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers, heightening tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi.
“The government of Punjab has taken over the control of a campus comprising Madrassatul Sabir and Jama-e-Masjid Subhanallah in Bahawalpur, reportedly the headquarters of JeM... and appointed an administrator to manage its affairs,” the Interior Ministry had said.
However, in a video message on social media, Chaudhry said that the Punjab province government took administrative control of Madrassatul Sabir and Jamia-e-Masjid Subhanallah in Bahawalpur in line with the decisions taken during the National Security Council (NSC) meeting and as part of the National Action Plan (NAP).
“During yesterday’s NSC meeting, it was decided the NAP would be fully implemented. Some steps were taken in this regard yesterday and today the Punjab government took administrative control of a madrasa in Bahawalpur,” he said.
“This is the madrasa that India was doing propaganda over and alleging that it is the headquarters of JeM. Tomorrow, the Punjab government will give media persons a tour of the madrasa so everyone can see how it is functioning and see the truth for themselves,” he added.
Stating that “around 700 students are studying at the madrasa”, Chaudhry quoted as saying by Geo News: “This step [to take administrative control] has nothing to do with the attack in Kashmir.
“NAP is our own security document over which all political parties are in consensus and we are implementing it.”