BJP, Congress slam Pakistan over likely compensation to terrorist Masood Azhar
The BJP and Congress have expressed strong disapproval of Pakistan's alleged misuse of International Monetary Fund (IMF) aid to rebuild structures destroyed in Indian airstrikes and compensate the families of casualties, a move that could make Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar eligible for a Rs 14 crore payout.
BJP's IT cell head Amit Malviya criticised the move, questioning the use of IMF funds to compensate a globally designated terrorist. He emphasised that such actions undermine international counterterrorism efforts and misuse financial aid meant for economic stabilisation.
“The Pakistan government has announced plans to reconstruct homes associated with JeM and LeT that were destroyed by India during #OperationSindoor, and to provide Rs 1 crore in compensation to the families of those killed in the airstrikes. As a result, designated terrorist Masood Azhar could receive a payout of Rs 14 crore. The IMF loan is being put to good use,” Malviya posted on X.
Similarly, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate condemned the decision, highlighting the irony of Pakistan allocating substantial funds to a terrorist while its own citizens face economic hardships.
“IMF gave 3 billion dollars to Pakistan. Now Pakistan will rebuild Masood Azhar's destroyed terrorist camp with the same money. Pakistan supports terrorists, nurtures them, and carries out nefarious activities against us,” Shrinate posted on X.
Notably, The Tribune had on May 14 exclusively reported about Pakistan PM Shebaz Sharif's announcement of giving comprehensive support and a compensation of Rs 1 crore per deceased for the legal heirs of those killed in the strikes.
The Indian airstrikes carried out under Operation Sindoor targeted 9 locations including terror camps in Bahawalpur — Pakistan’s 12th-largest city and the operational hub of the JeM. The city, approximately 400 km from Lahore, housed the JeM headquarters at Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah, also known as the Usman-o-Ali campus.
Meanwhile, Pakistan on Wednesday received the second tranche of special drawing rights worth 760 million (USD 1,023 million) from the IMF under the extended fund facility programme.
This payment is part of the second instalment of a USD 7 billion IMF loan deal that began in September 2024 and will run for 37 months. With this latest inflow, the total funds given to Pakistan so far under the EFF have reached USD 2.1 billion.
India is now closely monitoring how Pakistan utilises the IMF funds, especially in light of these recent events. Through social media posts, thousands of people have urged the IMF and global stakeholders to ensure that financial aid is not diverted to support activities or individuals associated with terrorism.
