A new audio recording, allegedly featuring the voice of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Maulana Masood Azhar, has emerged on social media platforms, making bold claims about the terror group's strength. In the clip, the speaker asserts that JeM now commands 'thousands' of suicide bombers who are prepared for immediate deployment.
Propaganda Push Amid Operational Setbacks
The audio surfaced alongside a video featuring Saifullah Kasuri, the Pahalgam attack mastermind and deputy chief of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). In his video, Kasuri claims the Pakistani army invited him to lead funeral prayers for its soldiers after Operation Sindoor – India's precision strikes in May 2025. Both clips were disseminated by pro-ISI accounts on Telegram and X.
Security sources view these messages as a desperate propaganda attempt to revitalize groups reeling from significant losses. Operation Sindoor dealt a devastating blow to JeM, decimating its infrastructure in Bahawalpur and eliminating at least 10 of Azhar's close relatives and top aides.
Defiant Claims vs. Ground Reality
In the audio, a defiant Azhar claims the true number of his followers would 'cause an uproar in the global media' if revealed. He states new recruits are driven solely by an obsession with attaining 'martyrdom', shunning material comforts like cars or foreign visas. 'They only ask Allah for one thing: martyrdom,' the UN-designated terrorist asserts.
However, defence and security experts have quickly dismissed these statements as 'hollow threats'. They interpret the audio as a sign of severe frustration following the group's crippling losses. 'This audio appears to be a calculated effort to save face after the group’s leadership was 'torn to pieces',' a source commented.
Shadowy Existence and Ongoing Analysis
Interestingly, Masood Azhar has not been seen in public since a 2019 blast at his Bahawalpur hideout, fueling persistent rumors about his health and whereabouts. This latest audio, while lacking visual proof, indicates the terror mastermind is still attempting to operate from the shadows within a Pakistani safe haven.
Meanwhile, in his separate video, Saifullah Kasuri is seen speaking from a school with hundreds of children in the audience. He also welcomed growing diplomatic and military ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Indian security agencies are now closely analysing voice samples and metadata from the Azhar clip to verify its authenticity, track its origin, and assess the current threat level from JeM's surviving sleeper cells.
