Pakistan misleads again? Islamabad raises Masood Azhar bounty to PKR 70 lakh ahead of FATF meet

Pakistan has raised the bounty on Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar to PKR 70 lakh, listing him as a fugitive in its latest Red Book of most wanted terrorists, news agency ANI reported on Monday. 

The move comes ahead of the Financial Action Task Force's plenary in October, as Pakistan seeks to avoid being placed back on the FATF gray list.

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Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency has increased the bounty on Azhar by PKR 20 lakh.

The FIA had initially announced a PKR 50 lakh reward for information leading to his capture in 2021.

Pakistan has since claimed that Azhar was no longer in the country and had fled to Afghanistan. Five years later, the FIA has raised the bounty to PKR 70 lakh and listed Azhar as a fugitive in its latest Red Book.

The move could also be an eyewash by Islamabad, as multiple reports in the past have suggested that Azhar remains in Pakistan despite the government's repeated claims that he fled to Afghanistan.

Masood Azhar, the chief of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), is wanted in India in connection with multiple terror cases.

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The National Investigation Agency (NIA) lists Azhar as an absconding accused and records his address as Bahawalpur, Pakistan. He is wanted in five NIA cases, including the 2016 Pathankot airbase attack case, and an Interpol Red Corner Notice was issued against him in May 2016.

The Indian government also designated Azhar as an individual terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in September 2019.