A viral claim has resurfaced across social media, asserting that terrorist Masood Azhar, the founder of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), was killed in India’s 2019 Balakot airstrike. These claims, pushed by propagandist account, @Ltcolonelvikas, state:
“🔥🔥🔥
100% Confirmed: Masood Azhar is DEAD.
Eliminated in India’s Balakot airstrike in 2019.
Pakistan’s ISI only kept his ghost alive for propaganda.
India strikes, the world wins.
Jai Hind 🇮🇳🔥🔥🔥”
🔥🔥🔥🔥
— Lt Col Vikas Gurjar 🇮🇳 (@Ltcolonelvikas) May 24, 2025
100% Confirmed: Masood Azhar is DEAD.
Eliminated in India’s Balakot airstrike in 2019.
Pakistan’s ISI only kept his ghost alive for propaganda.
No video, no photo — just silence.
India strikes, the world wins.
Enjoy the day with this joyful news!
🔥🔥🔥
Jai Hind 🇮🇳… pic.twitter.com/sukwbtNzSG
The tone and certainty of these posts are designed to stir patriotic sentiment and celebration. However, there is no official or credible confirmation of Masood Azhar’s death.
Truth Behind the Claim
As claims about Masood Azhar’s death began to circulate online, the D-Intent Data team launched a thorough investigation. Initial findings quickly debunked the rumors. Eyewitnesses confirmed that Masood Azhar was seen at a funeral in Bahawalpur, held for relatives killed in Indian airstrikes. Azhar reportedly gave a brief eulogy before leaving the venue. While some sources claimed his brother, Abdul Rauf Azhar, was among the dead, his body was not seen at the burial. The presence of senior Pakistani military officials further validated the credibility of the event. [ThePrint]
Another report revealed that Masood Azhar had also attended a wedding ceremony in Bahawalpur, further disproving reports of his death or incapacitation. He delivered a speech at the event, praising those engaged in jihad in Kashmir and Palestine. Intelligence agencies continue to link JeM to recent terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, suggesting that Azhar is not only alive but still playing a role in directing extremist operations. [INDIATODAY]
In a separate incident, Azhar made a rare public appearance at an Islamic seminary, delivering a speech that included threats against India and inflammatory remarks about Indian leadership. His reappearance sparked a strong diplomatic response from New Delhi, with Indian officials accusing Pakistan of duplicity—publicly denying Azhar’s presence while allowing him to operate freely. Prior claims on social media about his death in a bombing were confirmed to be false. [Stratnewsglobal]
Most significantly, in a statement covered by international media, Masood Azhar himself admitted that ten of his relatives were killed in an Indian missile strike targeting a mosque in Bahawalpur. Among the dead were his sister, her husband, his niece, nephew, and five children. The BBC verified footage of the damaged mosque and reported that funeral processions were held across the city. Local residents expressed grief and growing concern over Pakistan’s potential response, while Pakistan officially condemned the strikes and denied that the site was linked to terrorism. [BBC]
In conclusion, while India’s precision strikes have targeted Jaish-e-Mohammed infrastructure and resulted in the deaths of some of Azhar’s family members, there is no verified evidence that Masood Azhar himself has been killed. Instead, multiple credible sources confirm that he remains alive, active, and protected in Pakistan.
3402
— D-Intent Data (@dintentdata) May 25, 2025
ANALYSIS: Unsubstantiated
FACT: Claims are circulating alleging that terrorist Masood Azhar, founder of the terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed, was eliminated in India’s Balakot airstrike in 2019. However, there are no verified or credible sources confirming his death. (1/4) pic.twitter.com/yw8aXsANzj
Intent:
Influencers are circulating self-invented claims about terrorist Masood Azhar to get the spotlight on social media.
conclusion:
Claim: Masood Azhar was killed in the 2019 Balakot airstrike by India.
Fact: Masood Azhar is alive, active, and was publicly seen in Pakistan in 2024.
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