Masood Azhar's Brother, Tahir Anwar, Dies in Pakistan
Tahir Anwar, brother of Jaish chief Masood Azhar, has died in Pakistan.
Top Summary
- What happened: Tahir Anwar, brother of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, has died in Pakistan. The cause of death is currently unknown.
- Why it matters: Tahir Anwar was deeply involved in Jaish-e-Mohammed operations. His death may impact the group's activities.
- What changes: The leadership structure of Jaish-e-Mohammed may see some adjustments.
- Who is affected: Jaish-e-Mohammed, Masood Azhar's family, and potentially India, given Jaish's history of attacks.
Tahir Anwar's Death Confirmed
Mohammad Tahir Anwar, brother of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar, has died in Pakistan. His death was confirmed on March 31, 2026.
The cause of his death remains unclear. There has been no official statement regarding illness or any specific incident.
Jaish-e-Mohammed's Acknowledgment
JeM's official channel confirmed the death. The funeral was held late Monday night at Jamia Masjid Usman Wali in Bahawalpur.
Tahir Anwar was reportedly closely associated with JeM. He had been actively involved in the outfit's operations for years.
JeM's History of Terror Attacks
Masood Azhar's Jaish-e-Mohammed has a long history of plotting and executing terror attacks in India.
JeM has been linked to several major attacks, including the 2001 Parliament attack, the 2016 Pathankot airbase strike, the Uri attack that killed 19 soldiers, and the 2019 Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.
India's Response and Retaliation
Indian forces have conducted strikes on JeM targets inside Pakistan. These strikes included its headquarters in Bahawalpur.
Several of Azhar’s close relatives were killed in these strikes. In September of last year, JeM indirectly acknowledged these losses.
A senior JeM commander admitted that members of Azhar's family were killed during India's strike on Bahawalpur under Operation Sindoor. This was in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that left 26 people dead.
Indian strikes reduced multiple terror sites to rubble.
The Bahawalpur facility, Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah, suffered extensive damage. Around 10 of Masood Azhar’s relatives, including his sister, her husband, a nephew, a niece and children from his extended family, were among those killed. Several of his aides were also killed in the attack.
What to Watch Next
The investigation into the cause of Tahir Anwar's death is ongoing. Future developments may reveal more about the circumstances surrounding his demise and potential impacts on Jaish-e-Mohammed.