Abdul Rauf Azhar (1 January 1977 – 7 May 2025) was a terrorist by birth in Pakistan and commander of militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). His life full of acts of terror ended with the presumed death of his in the 2025 India – Pakistan strikes, dubbed as the Operation Sindoor. Indian officials attribute his death a big success in the global war against terrorism. This biography explores Azhar’s involvement in masterminding attacks, his leadership in JeM, as well as his contentious engagement in several high-profile incidents, including the assassination of American journalist Daniel Pearl.
Early Life and Background
Abdul Rauf Azhar was born on 1 January 1977 (Pakistan). He was brought up in an environment highly infused with extremist ideologies. His elder brother, Masood Azhar, subsequently turned out to be the founder of JeM, which shaped Rauf’s trajectory to militancy. The close links of the Azhar family with multiple terrorist organizations, and their connections with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) determined the future of Rauf as a terrorist leader.
Involvement in the Hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814
Azhar was heavily involved with the hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814 in 1999. The hijacking sought to free 36 Islamist jihadists detained in Indian jails, among them his brother Masood Azhar. The six-day hostage-taking incident ended with India freeing three terrorists, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar, in the process. This incident became a crossroad which allowed Masood Azhar to create JeM who later became the mastermind behind major attacks including the attack on Indian Parliament in 2001, Mumbai attacks in 2008, and Pulwama attack in 2019.
This hijacking, in turn, created the backdrop for the abduction and killing of Wall Street Journal journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002. Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh who was set free during the hijacking exchange kidnapped Pearl towards her gruesome murder. Although Azhar’s group did not participate directly in Pearl’s killing, its hijacking that was planned with his influence was significant for Sheikh’s release.
Command of Jaish-e-Mohammed
Abdul Rauf Azhar officially took command of Jaish-e-Mohammed on 21 April 2007, stepping in as the de facto leader when his brother Masood Azhar went underground. Under his leadership, JeM intensified its operations against India, targeting civilian and military installations. With strong ties to the ISI and other terror organizations, Azhar’s tenure was marked by numerous high-profile attacks, including:
- 2001 Indian Parliament Attack: This reckless attack dragged India and Pakistan on the brink of war.
- 2005 Ram Janmabhoomi Attack: An unsuccessful effort by operatives of JeM to attack the religious site in Ayodhya.
- 2016 Pathankot Attack: A security targeting the Indian Air Force base that led to the death of six security personnel.
- 2019 Pulwama Attack: A suicide attack that killed 40 Indian paramilitary officers.
Activities Beyond India
Abdul Rauf Azhar became a critical player in Pakistan’s interior consultations in the hostage situation of 42 civilians in Islamabad in 2009. His role as a mediator revealed his influence on the level of extreme criminals and operational implications outside India.
Designation as a Terrorist
United States Treasury on 2 December 2010 branded Abdul Rauf Azhar as a terrorist because he recruited operatives and planned attacks in India and Afghanistan. He carried out his suicide attacks and other militant activities from inside the safe havens of Pakistan despite international sanctions.
Activities in Islamabad
In 2009 Azhar is said to have been called to Islamabad to help the Pakistani government in negotiations with kidnappers who had captured 42 civilians. This occasion brought out his influence and associations in militant and political circles of Pakistan.
Daniel Pearl’s Murder: A Painful Memory
Its aftermath included the kidnapping and murder of an American Wall Street Journal journalist, Daniel Pearl, in 2002. While digging into links between Islamist militant groups and Al-Qaeda, Pearl was kidnapped in Karachi. His captors who said they belonged to the National Movement for the Restoration of Pakistani Sovereignty threatened the release of the Pakistani terrorists captured by the U.S.
After being in captivity for days, Pearl was brutally murdered as a videotape of his beheading was released to world. The mind behind the kidnapping was Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh whose release had been arranged through the hijacking of the Indian Airlines Flight 814, a plot hatched by Abdul Rauf Azhar. As Azhar’s gang did not actively participate in Pearl’s kidnapping process, his involvement indisputably enabled the events that brought Pearl’s killing.
Pearl’s assassination knocked the global community, which emblematized the threats posed to not only the news media but also the Jewish community and democratic nature of societies. It highlighted the omnipresent menace of state sponsored and supported terror networks. Later Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, a senior Al-Qaeda leader, took responsibility for Pearl’s killing. However, in 2021, Pakistan’s Supreme Court controversially ruled for the release of Sheikh, making things more complicated in terms of seeking justice.
Affiliation with Global Terror Networks
Azhar maintained strong alliances with groups like the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Azhar had a good relationship with such organisations as Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Haqqani network. JeM operated training camps and shared intelligence with these groups confirming its position as one of the key players in international jihadist operations. To Pakistan’s religious-political entities and coalitions ranging from Difa-e-Pakistan Council; Azhar’s ties rooted JeM more ferminally in Pakistan’s political and militant structure.
Operation Sindoor and Azhar’s Death
In May 2025, Indian Officials declared that Abdul Rauf Azhar, a member of LeT and otherwise known as Abu Abdul Raham Muhammad, had bs been killed in an airstrike during Operation Sindoor called 20 hits 20 missiles which targeted terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). These strikes launched by Indian Air Force allegedly hit JeM HQ at Bahawalpur and Markaz Taiba attached to Lashkar-e-Taiba in Muridke.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called Azhar’s death a great success for India’s counter-terrorism war. Amongst Azhar’s 14 relatives also reportedly martyred was Masood Azhar. The operation was viewed as a reaction to the cross-border terrorism for years and as a vengeance to the victims including Daniel Pearl.
during Operation Sindoor on 7 May 2025, Indian officials said that Abdul Rauf Azhar died. The campaign, which involved airstrikes against terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) was said to have wiped out several high-profile militants including 14 members of the Azhar family. The Indian officials declared the killing of Azhar a major win in the on-going battle against terrorism.
Although the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) congratulated Azhar’s killing as a grand success, the Indian Armed Forces and Central Government held back an official statement. Information would be disclosed in due course, according to Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
Reaction to His Death
Abdul Rauf Azhar’s killing triggered reaction worldwide. Daniel Pearl’s father expressed gratitude in saying Azhar’s elimination returned some justice for the murder of his son. Government sources also pointed that Azhar’s involvement in masterminding IC 814 hijack ensured that Omar Saeed Sheikh, the mastermind behind kidnapping and execution of Pearl, was released.
Conclusion
The rise of Abdul Rauf Azhar from a militant’s younger brother to a world alledged terrorist exposes the dangers of radicalization, and what unchecked radicalization can do to a person and their family, relatives, society and country. Although his death is a major watershed moment in counterterrorism, the war on global terror networks is still in progress. The violent and confrontational working of Azhar’s legacy highlights the need for military operations, which are specific in nature, to be used to fight terrorism.
The Indian Armed Forces, which have very well trained counterterror units such as National Security Guard (NSG) and Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), have repeatedly proved superior capabilities in neutralizing a threat. Their commitment in their cause is also demonstrated by the Pahalgam attack where JeM deadly militants struck Indian public. Though at first its effects were highly destructive, the Indian Army and NSG coordinated to bring the attackers into custody and to countertheir network in a swift police action. This episode highlighted the need for real-time intelligence and inter-agency collaboration.
The relentless manhunt of Azhar and JeM operatives as well as precision missions like Operation Sindoor revealed the vigilante spirit of India in the fight against terrorism. Such operations are a sign of the country’s readiness and capability to shield its people.