Pak Shifts Hafiz Saeed, Masood Azhar To New Hideouts Due To Fear Of Indian Strikes, 'Unknown Gunmen': Report

United Nations-designated global terrorists Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) founder Masood Azhar, have reportedly been quitely moved to new hideouts in Pakistan amid fears of fresh Indian strikes and attacks by unidentified gunmen, NDTV reported.

Both the terrorists were shifted over the past week to heavily guarded safe houses allegedly operated by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), according to intelligence sources cited in the NDTV report. Saeed has reportedly been moved from Lahore's Johar Town to the Garrison Ground area in Rawalpindi, close to Pakistan Army headquarters.

Azhar, meanwhile, is said to have been relocated to a safe house in Nawabshah, in Pakistan's Sindh province. The reported relocation comes amid heightened security concerns following India's Operation Sindoor, which destroyed key terror infrastructure in Pakistan, the report said.

The intelligence inputs suggest that the ISI is apprehensive about possible fresh Indian strikes as well as attacks by unidentified gunmen who have killed several anti-India terrorists in Pakistan in recent months. Saeed has reportedly stopped meeting Lashkar members personally and is communicating with them only through audio messages.

His movements have also been restricted, with security around him tightened. Pakistan maintains that Saeed is serving a sentence in terror-financing cases at Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail. However, intelligence agencies reportedly dispute this claim, alleging that he is living in a safe house under the protection of Pakistani intelligence agencies.

Azhar has also reportedly reduced direct contact with members of Jaish-e-Mohammed and is communicating only with a select group that includes senior commanders. The terror outfit has faced setbacks since Operation Sindoor, during which its headquarters, Markaz in Bahawalpur, suffered extensive damage.

The group has reportedly struggled to reorganise its operations following the strikes. Both Saeed and Azhar have been designated global terrorists by the United Nations. Saeed is wanted in India for his role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and several other strikes.

Azhar has been linked to major terror attacks in India, including the Pulwama, Pathankot and Parliament attacks. According to the intelligence sources cited in the report, neither man is currently in jail and both are under the protection of Pakistani intelligence agencies.

They were moved due to fears of fresh Indian strikes and potential attacks by unidentified gunmen. This relocation follows India's Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror infrastructure. Hafiz Saeed was moved to Rawalpindi's Garrison Ground area, near Pakistan Army headquarters.

Masood Azhar was relocated to a safe house in Nawabshah, in Pakistan's Sindh province. Intelligence agencies dispute Pakistan's claim of Saeed's imprisonment. Both are reportedly not in jail and are instead under the protection of Pakistani intelligence agencies in safe houses.

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