A flex poster atop the JeM terror group's office in Rawalpindi

NEW DELHI: Information reaching the Indian intelligence agencies, three days after speculation about a blast at the Rawalpindi military hospital went viral, confirmed that there was indeed a powerful explosion in the fortress-like facility though it did not cause any harm to Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar. 

Azhar was said to have been at the hospital at the time of the blast, apparently for treatment relating to renal failure. Social media updates on Monday had indicated that around 10 people were injured in the blast, including Azhar. 

Sources in the security establishment tracking the developments in Pakistan on Wednesday said while it can be said without any doubt that there was a powerful blast at the military hospital, Azhar managed to escape unscathed. 

Azhar suffers from acute renal failure and is known to visit the Rawalpindi military hospital regularly for dialysis. 

The hospital is a well-guarded facility located inside the cantonment area that houses the headquarters of Pakistan Army. 

While Azhar may have escaped any damage, the attack on a seemingly impregnable Pakistani military facility would have surely rattled the Jaish chief, particularly after the IAF strikes in February on the terror outfit’s camp in Balakot deep inside Pakistani territory. 

Incidentally, Azhar escaped the air strikes as he was believed to have been undergoing treatment at the Rawalpindi hospital. Soon after the Balakot strikes, the Pakistan Army shifted Azhar to a protected location. 

Late Sunday night, several Pakistani Twitter users uploaded videos of the blast, with some claiming that 10 people had been injured. 

A Twitter handle with the name Ahsan Ullah MiaKhail, who identifies himself as a human rights worker and PTM (Pashtun Tahafuz Movement) activist, posted a video of the blast along with a comment: "Huge #blast at Military Hospital in #Rawalpindi, #Pakistan. 10 injured shifted to emergency. Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azahar is admitted here. Completely Media blackout by Army. Media asked Strictly not to cover this story (sic)." The videos show smoke emerging from the building even as traffic is seen on the road.