New Delhi: Fresh intelligence inputs suggest that Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, one of India's most-wanted terrorists, has been spotted in Skardu, located in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

According to India Today's report, Azhar was spotted near Sadpara Road, a quiet locality known for its mosques, religious seminaries, and guest houses, an unlikely hideout for a globally sanctioned terror figure. Skardu, a well-known tourist area, may provide him a lower profile amid heightened international scrutiny.

The development comes in contrast to recent remarks by Pakistan's former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who claimed Azhar may have crossed into Afghanistan. He even suggested that if found on Pakistani soil, Azhar could be handed over to India.

Two key locations tied to him Jamia Subhan Allah, Jaish’s central headquarters, and Jamia Usman O Ali, a mosque near his previous residence. These sites were reportedly targeted during Indian airstrikes under Operation Sindoor, which allegedly resulted in the deaths of several of Azhar's relatives.

Azhar, the mastermind behind the 2019 Pulwama attack and the 2016 Pathankot airbase attack, remains under international sanctions from the UN, United States and India. He gained notoriety after being released from Indian custody during the 1999 IC-814 hijacking, which eventually led to the founding of Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Indian authorities continue to monitor his movements closely amid renewed regional tensions.