Zahoor Mistri, hijacker of IC814 flight, and one of India’s most wanted, killed in Karachi

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One of India's most wanted fugitive Zahoor Mistri is dead. Zahoor was one of the five hijackers of Indian Airlines flight IC 814,  from Kathmandu to Kandahar, was killed by two unknown gunmen in Karachi in Pakistan. Mistry Zahoor Ibrahim was one of the five hijackers who hijacked the IC 814 flight two decades ago on December 24, 1999. He was also accused of killing one passenger, Rubin katyal. According to multiple media reports, Zahoor Mistri was living under the fake identity of Zahid Akhund in Karachi and was shot dead by two unknown gunmen on March1.</p>
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Interestingly Pakistani news channel Geo news had published a report on March 2 about the killing of Zahid Akhund. Sharing the CCTV footage, the report said that two gunmen killed a furniture trader Zahid in Akhtar Colony of Karachi in a highly planned manner.</p>
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According to the Geo report (<a href="https://geotvnews.com/a-businessman-was-targeted-in-akhtar-colony-police-said-2/" rel="nofollow">https://geotvnews.com/a-businessman-was-targeted-in-akhtar-colony-police-said-2/</a> ), CCTV footage showed two armed motorcyclists roaming the streets of Akhtar Colony while the accused entered a furniture warehouse after a complete recoinnasance  of the area and targeted the trader.</p>
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According to a report by Hindustan Times, “the funeral of Zahoor Mistry was attended by senior leaders of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) group, which is headquartered in Bahawalpur in Pakistan’s Punjab province. Masood Azhar, Omar Saeed Shekh, both then affiliated to Harkat-ul-Ansar group, and a Kashmiri terrorist Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar, were released by the Indian government on December 31, 1999, in Kandahar under the watch of the then Taliban terror regime. After being released, Azhar , who now head JeM met then Taliban chief Mullah Omar and then crossed over to Pakistan via Spin Boldak crossing in Quetta.” His Pajero finally reached Pakistan’s Zhob, which is famous for its military cantonment.</p>
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<a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/ic814-victim-rupin-katyal-gets-justice-hijacker-ibrahim-killed-in-karachi-101646712210813.html" rel="nofollow">IC-814 victim Rupin Katyal gets justice, hijacker Ibrahim killed in Karachi</a></p>
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After the killing of Zahoor Mistri alia Zahid Akhund, only two of five Jaish-e-Mohammad hijackers are now alive and living in Pakistan including including Ibrahim Azhar, elder brother of Masood Azhar and Rauf Asghar, both UN designated terrorists.</p>
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It may be recalled that on December 24, 1999, Ibrahim Athar, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Shahid Sayeed Akhtar, Zahoor Ibhrahim Mistri and Shakir boarded New Delhi bound Indian Airlines flight IC-814 in Kathmandu and hijacked the plane. The flight was flown to several locations before landing in Kandahar, Afghanistan which was ruled by the Taliban. Harkat-ul-Mujahideen was accused of the hijacking with the support and active assistance from ISI, Pakistan’s intelligence agency.</p>
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Abdul Rauf,  Azhar’s brother was among the main conspirators who planned and executed the hijacking of the IC814 for the release of Masood Azhar who was then lodged in Jammu jail. Soon after the release, Azhar founded the JeM in 2000 in Pakistan and immediately wreaked vengeance by attacking the Srinagar secretariat in October 2001 and Indian Parliament on December 13, 2001. He also launched a fidayeen or suicide attack on Ram Janamnbhoomi temple in 2005 but the attack was unsuccessful.</p>
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Over the years, the JeM grew stronger and Yusuf Azhar was put in charge of building the facility at Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. He went on to set up the training camp in an area that spread over 7 acres. This training camp has produced thousands  of terrorists all with an intention of striking in India. The terrorists for the Uri and Pulwama attack were trained at this facility and the entire process was overseen by Yusuf Azhar.</p>
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On February 26, 2019 India targeted the Balakot-based JeM terror camp and killed more than 300 terrorists including Yusuf Azhar .</p>
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Also Read :  <a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/kashmir-news/jem-s-pulwama-blast-mastermind-lamboo-killed-in-kashmir-encounter-105875.html">Pulwama masterminds ‘Lamboo’, Sameer Dar killed in Kashmir encounter</a></p>