Jaish-e-Mohammed Chief Massod Azhar has been detained by Pakistan in connection with the Pathankot Attack. Lest we forget, Masood was the price India paid to release the 175 passengers on-board the IC-814 flight, hijacked in Kandahar in 1999.
Arun Naithani and his wife Alka Naithani were aboard the fateful flight.
“Masood Azhar sahab ki rihaai sabse zaroori hai!” ordered the terrorists while negotiating with the Government of India in return for the passengers aboard the hijacked IC-814 flight.
The flight, which was bound for Delhi from Kathmandu, was carrying 175 passengers. The Vajpayee government was under tremendous pressure – from families of the passengers, the opposition, and of course the terrorists. Ultimately, it buckled and agreed to release Masood Azhar along with two other terrorists.
Azhar went on to spill doom for India. He founded the Jaish-e-Mohammed which was instrumental in conducting the 2001 Parliament attack, and is allegedly involved in the recent Pathankot attack.
16 years, and two deadly attacks later, Masood Azhar is detained by the Pakistan Police. Was it suicidal for the Vajpayee government to release Azhar? Yes. Were the lives of 175 Indians greater than that of all the others who have died in the aftermath at the hands of Azhar? It is a difficult question to answer.
(Video edited by: Nitin Sharma)
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