New Delhi, October 9: The health condition of Masood Azhar, who heads the Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), is critical. According to a report, Masood Azhar is suffering from a life-threatening disease and has been bed-ridden for over 12 months. In his absence, his brothers, Rauf Asghar and Athar Ibrahim are handling the activities of the JeM.

Masood Azhar's spinal cord and kidney have been affected by ailments, Indian intelligence officials told Hindustan Times. The 50-year-old terrorist is being treated at the Combined Military Hospital in Rawalpindi. He is one of the terrorists that India freed in exchange for the safety of passengers during the IC-814 hijack in 1999. Jaish-e-Mohammed Declares India Number One Enemy.

Masood Azhar had not been sighted in public either in his hometown Bhawalpur or anywhere else in Pakistan, Indian diplomats said. The Indian government has been trying to list the JeM chief as a global terrorist at the United Nations. However, a veto-wielding permanent member of the UN Security Council, China has repeatedly blocked India's move.

Azhar is accused of several deadly terrorist attacks in India, including one on the Uri military base in Kashmir in 2016 in which 17 security personnel were killed. He was also involved in the 2001 attack on Parliament and the 2005 attack in Ayodhya. His JeM has already been in the UN's list of banned terror outfits.

Since Azhar is bed-ridden, his brother Rauf Asghar has been working on terror activities against India particularly in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. India and the US are currently discussing moves to brand Asghar a global terrorist by the Trump administration and the UN 1267 committee, the report said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 09, 2018 10:26 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).