Pakistan hikes bounty on Jaish chief Masood Azhar to PKR 70 lakh in deceitful bid to avoid FATF grey list

Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has released its 2026 list of most-wanted terrorists, featuring Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar. The bounty on Azhar has been increased by PKR 20 lakh to PKR 70 lakh.

Sources, however, described the move as a smokescreen aimed at deceiving the international community, particularly ahead of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) plenary in October, as Pakistan seeks to avoid being placed back on the grey list.

Pakistan’s false claims on Masood Azhar

Pakistan began claiming in 2021 that Masood Azhar was no longer in the country and had fled to Afghanistan. The FIA had initially announced a reward of PKR 50 lakh for information leading to his arrest. Five years later, the agency has increased the bounty to PKR 70 lakh.

Azhar is accused of masterminding several terror attacks in India, including the February 2019 Pulwama attack. Sources said that despite Pakistan’s repeated claim since 2021 that Azhar is hiding in Afghanistan, technical analysis by Indian intelligence agencies over the past six months has indicated that he is hiding in Nawabshah in Pakistan’s Sindh province.

26/11 attack terrorists named by Pakistan

The FIA’s updated Red Book also names 19 terrorists allegedly involved in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, including individuals accused of assisting, financing or managing boats used to transport the attackers.

Sources said that while 17 of these terrorists have been listed with their photographs and specific roles in the 26/11 operation, the FIA has covertly removed the photographs, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) affiliations and detailed operational roles of two individuals, retaining only their names.

The updated list retains the name of Muhammad Khan of Turbat, who allegedly provided the boat Al-Hussaini to transport the attackers to Mumbai, but removes his photograph, LeT affiliation and operational role. Similarly, the photograph and LeT affiliation of Abdul Rehman of Bahawalnagar have been removed. Both men had their photographs and detailed roles included in the FIA’s 2021 list, sources said.

The latest roster names 11 LeT terrorists accused of facilitating the sea voyage of the attackers aboard the boats Al-Hussaini and Al-Fauz. They are Muhammad Amjad Khan of Multan, Shahid Gafoor of Bahawalpur, Mohammad Usman of Sahiwal, Ateeq-ur-Rehman of Lahore, Riaz Ahmad of Hafizabad, Muhammad Mushtaq of Gujranwala, Muhammad Naeem of Dera Ghazi Khan, Abdul Shakoor of Karachi, Muhammad Sabir Salfi of Multan, Muhammad Usman of Lodhran and Shakeel Ahmed of Rahim Yar Khan.

The list also names six terrorists accused of providing financial support for the 26/11 attacks.

They include Muhammad Iftikhar Ali of Faisalabad, an LeT operative who allegedly spent PKR 70,000 to establish VOIP connections for communication between the attackers and their handlers; Mohammad Zia of Rawalpindi, who allegedly provided PKR 80,000 to LeT; Mohammad Abbas Nasir of Khanewal, who allegedly contributed PKR 2.53 lakh; Javed Iqbal of Kasur, who allegedly supplied PKR 1.86 lakh; Mukhtar Ahmad of Mandi Bahauddin, who allegedly donated PKR 2.98 lakh; and Ahmed Saeed of Battagram, who allegedly provided PKR 21 lakh for the operation.

Attempt to escape FATF action

According to the FIA, the 17 terrorists linked to the 26/11 attacks have been absconding for 18 years. Indian intelligence sources, however, claimed that all 17 remain in Pakistan and described their inclusion in the FIA’s Most Wanted list as an attempt to divert international scrutiny.

The number of most-wanted terrorists on Pakistan’s FIA list has increased by around 35% over the past five years, rising from 1,330 in the 2021 Red Book to 1,804 in the latest edition.

Operation Sindoor and destruction of JeM headquarters

The JeM headquarters in Bahawalpur was among the key targets hit by India’s precision strikes during Operation Sindoor. The Indian Armed Forces said the Markaz Subhanallah, located around 100 km inside Pakistan, was destroyed in the strikes.

Operational since 2015, Markaz Subhanallah served as a major centre for JeM’s training and indoctrination and as the outfit’s operational headquarters. The facility has been linked to JeM’s terror planning, including the February 14, 2019, Pulwama attack.

The complex housed residences of JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar, the outfit’s de facto chief Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar, Maulana Ammar and other members of Azhar’s family. Azhar had also delivered several addresses from the facility, in which he promoted anti-India rhetoric and called on young people to join jihad.

The facility was also used by JeM to conduct regular arms, physical and religious training for its cadres.

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