Pakistan Hikes Masood Azhar Bounty to PKR 70 Lakh, Lists JeM Chief as Fugitive Ahead of FATF Review

Key facts

• Pakistan has raised the bounty on Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar to PKR 70 lakh and listed him as a fugitive in its latest Red Book of most wanted terrorists.
• Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) increased the reward by PKR 20 lakh from the PKR 50 lakh bounty announced in 2021.
• The move comes ahead of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) plenary scheduled for October, with Pakistan seeking to avoid being placed back on the grey list.
• Pakistan had claimed in 2021 that Azhar was no longer in the country and had fled to Afghanistan, a position maintained by the Shehbaz Sharif-led government.
• In October, Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump on the UNGA sidelines.
• The Jaish-e-Mohammed, led by Masood Azhar, is held responsible for numerous terror attacks in India, including the 2001 Parliament attack.