India Slams Pakistan’s Masood Azhar Bounty Hike as ‘Gimmick’ Ahead of FATF Plenary
India has sharply criticised Pakistan after its Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) increased the reward for information leading to the arrest of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar from PKR 50 lakh to PKR 70 lakh. The move, announced ahead of the upcoming Financial Action Task Force (FATF) plenary in October, has raised fresh questions over Pakistan’s handling of internationally designated terrorists.
Pakistan Puts Masood Azhar on Its Latest Red Book
Masood Azhar has been included in Pakistan’s 2026 Red Book of most-wanted terrorists, with the FIA categorising him as a fugitive and increasing the reward by PKR 20 lakh. Pakistan had announced the earlier PKR 50 lakh reward in 2021 while maintaining that Azhar was no longer in the country and had moved to Afghanistan.
The latest Red Book reportedly contains 1,804 names, compared with 1,330 names in the 2021 edition. The list also includes individuals accused of involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, including people alleged to have helped finance the operation or arrange boats used by the attackers.
India Calls the Announcement Hollow
India has questioned the significance of Pakistan increasing the bounty at this stage. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the move as a “gimmick” and a “phoney announcement”, arguing that Pakistan should take concrete action instead of making announcements that have no substantive consequence.
New Delhi’s criticism centres on the difference between formally listing a wanted terrorist and demonstrating effective action against the individual and the wider terror infrastructure associated with him. India has repeatedly raised concerns over Pakistan-based terrorist organisations and their activities targeting India.
The FATF Angle
The timing of the announcement has attracted particular attention because it comes ahead of the FATF plenary scheduled for October. The FATF is an international body that works to strengthen measures against money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing. Its framework assesses countries on the effectiveness of their systems and implementation of relevant measures.
Reports have suggested that Pakistan’s latest action could help demonstrate to the international community that it is pursuing wanted terrorist figures. However, the FATF’s assessment is broader than any individual announcement and concerns a country’s overall anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist-financing framework.
Pakistan was removed from the FATF list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring in October 2022 after completing the action plans that had been assigned to it. The latest developments therefore come against the background of Pakistan’s earlier scrutiny by the international financial watchdog.
Questions Over Azhar’s Whereabouts
Pakistan has maintained since 2021 that Masood Azhar is no longer in the country and is hiding in Afghanistan. Indian intelligence agencies, however, have reportedly assessed that he remains in Pakistan, with recent reports citing technical analysis that places him in Sindh’s Nawabshah area. These are competing claims, and Pakistan’s stated position remains that Azhar is outside its territory.
The issue has also received attention because the Taliban government has rejected Pakistani claims concerning Azhar’s presence in Afghanistan, according to recent reporting. This has added another layer to the dispute surrounding his whereabouts.
JeM and India’s Counter-Terrorism Concerns
Masood Azhar founded Jaish-e-Mohammed, an organisation that has been designated under international sanctions mechanisms. India has long linked JeM to major terrorist attacks, including the 2019 Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.
The issue also came into focus during Operation Sindoor, when India said its strikes targeted Markaz Subhanallah in Bahawalpur, identified by Indian authorities as a major JeM training, indoctrination and operational facility. Indian authorities said the facility was connected to senior JeM figures and the organisation’s activities.
A Wider Test of Pakistan’s Counter-Terrorism Measures
The latest bounty announcement has once again placed Pakistan’s counter-terrorism record under international attention. While the inclusion of Azhar in the FIA’s wanted list and the increase in the reward represent formal measures announced by Pakistani authorities, India has argued that such steps need to be accompanied by verifiable enforcement action.
The upcoming FATF process will provide a broader context for assessing Pakistan’s anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist-financing framework. The controversy surrounding Azhar, meanwhile, remains closely tied to the longstanding India-Pakistan dispute over terrorism and the activities of Pakistan-based militant organisations.
The MGMM Outlook
Pakistan’s decision to increase the reward for information on Masood Azhar from PKR 50 lakh to PKR 70 lakh appears inadequate when viewed against the seriousness of the allegations surrounding the Jaish-e-Mohammed chief. Merely placing a wanted terrorist on a list and increasing a bounty does not demonstrate that Pakistan has actually located or taken action against him. The timing of the announcement, just ahead of the FATF plenary, also raises questions about whether Pakistan is seeking to demonstrate compliance through announcements rather than through verifiable enforcement.
The continued uncertainty over Masood Azhar’s whereabouts further exposes the limitations of Pakistan’s approach. Pakistan has maintained that he is in Afghanistan, while other reports have disputed this claim, adding to concerns about transparency. Given the long-standing security concerns associated with JeM and its activities, Pakistan needs to demonstrate concrete action against terrorist networks operating from or connected to its territory. International scrutiny should therefore focus on measurable enforcement and disruption of terrorist financing and infrastructure, rather than treating symbolic announcements as sufficient evidence of progress.
(Sources: OpIndia, India Today, NDTV)
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