Pakistan Raises Bounty on Masood Azhar to PKR 7 Million Ahead of FATF Review

Pakistan has raised the reward offered for information leading to the arrest of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, increasing the amount from PKR 2 million to PKR 7 million.

The move comes weeks before the Financial Action Task Force holds its plenary meeting in October. The global standard-setting body on money laundering and terrorist financing maintains a grey list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring, and Islamabad is seeking to avoid being placed back on it.

Azhar, 58, has been designated an international terrorist by the UN Security Council and is among the most wanted terror figures in India. His name has been linked to a string of major attacks, including the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, the Pulwama bombing and the Red Fort blast in Delhi. Indian authorities have alleged that he has received backing from Pakistan's intelligence agency, the ISI.

He appears in the Federal Investigation Agency's Red Book of most-wanted terrorists at serial number 1480, in a list that carries 1,804 names. The entry identifies him as the head of Jaish-e-Mohammed, with a date of entry of December 31, 2021, and describes him as healthy, heavily built and of normal medium height.

According to the listing, he is wanted in three cases registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. The first, FIR-17/20 dated December 3, 2020, was registered at the Counter Terrorism Department police station in Gujranwala under sections 11-EE(4), 11-F(2), 11-W and 11-OOO. The second, FIR-8/20 dated March 9, 2020, was registered at the CTD police station in Multan under section 11-EE(4). The third, FIR-4/21 dated March 29, 2021, was registered at the CTD police station in Lahore under sections 11-H(3), 11-I, 11-J(2) and 11-N.

The Red Book entry states that the federal and provincial governments of Pakistan are offering a reward of up to PKR 7,000,000 for information leading directly to Azhar's apprehension or conviction.

Islamabad has for years maintained that Azhar has not been in Pakistan since 2021 and has fled to Afghanistan. New Delhi has rejected that position and continues to press for his accountability.

The revised Red Book also names 19 terrorists linked to the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, accused of supporting the attackers by providing funds, arranging logistics and helping organise the boats used in the operation. The list includes 11 Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives who allegedly helped arrange the attackers' sea journey on the boats Al-Hussaini and Al-Fauz. They are Muhammad Amjad Khan from Multan, Shahid Gafoor from Bahawalpur, Mohammad Usman from Sahiwal, Ateeq-ur-Rehman from Lahore, Riaz Ahmad from Hafizabad, Muhammad Mushtaq from Gujranwala, Muhammad Naeem from Dera Ghazi Khan, Abdul Shakoor from Karachi, Muhammad Sabir Salfi from Multan, Muhammad Usman from Lodhran and Shakeel Ahmed from Rahim Yar Khan.