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Maulana Azhar in protective custody

Maulana Masood Azhar, who was among the three terrorists released by the government in exchange of the safe release of over 150 passengers onboard the hijacked Indian Airlines flight 814 flight in December last year, was today taken into protective custody in Pakistan.

Maulana Azhar's arrest seems like a step taken by Pakistan's military administration to appease the United States of America ahead of President Bill Clinton's visit to the sub-continent next month. Clinton has so far not confirmed if he would visit Pakistan.

Soon after Maulana Azhar was released at Kandahar in Afghanistan, where passengers of the Indian Airlines flight were held captive by five hijackers for seven days, he surfaced in Pakistan and delivered a series of speeches exhorting militants to unleash a jehad (holy war) against India in order to "liberate" Kashmir.

By taking Maulana Azhar, who had attacked the US too in his speeches, the military regime is trying to display its commitment to deal with terrorism with a firm hand.

Maulana Azhar heads the dreaded Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (earlier Harkat-ul-Ansar) which is one of the most active militant groups in Jammu and Kashmir.

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