Jaish-e-Muhammad chief Masood Azhar has called for jihadist groups to be allowed to escalate their operations against India, arguing that a lack of decisive decision-making could rob Pakistan of a historic opportunity to seize Kashmir.


The Indian Express reports that his appeal, published in the current issue of the Jaish weekly magazine al-Qalam, comes amidst reports of strains between Pakistans civilian government and military over the continued operations of anti-India jihadist groups from that country.


If the government of Pakistan shows a little courage, Azhar writes in a front-page article in the magazine, the problem of Kashmir, as well as the dispute over water, can be resolved once and for all right now. If nothing else, the government simply has to open the path for the mujahideen. Then, god willing, all the bitter memories of 1971 will be dissolved into the triumphant emotions of 2016.


Azhar directly addresses Pakistans policy establishment, arguing that the jihadist policies it backed in the 1990s had brought strategic benefits to the country. India had sought to build Akhand Bharat, Azhar goes on, but its hopes were degraded in the course of the jihad which left every one of its limbs badly injured.

What remained of its military prowess was exposed in Pathankot and Uri, he writes.

India is putting pressure on Pakistan at this time. Looking at the situation in Kashmir, though, Pakistan should have been doing all this. Given that Kashmir is our jugular vein, we should have cancelled the SAARC conference ourselves, and cancelled the ceasefire on the Line of Control. In the last ninety days, how many Muslims have been martyred, and how many more injured?


The article argues that jihadist operations in Kashmir have significantly eroded Indias military capacities. Consider India before and after the jihad in Kashmir, Azhar writes. You will see a dramatic difference. In the course of this journey, which I have been an eyewitness to, I have seen India reduced from a serpent to an earthworm.