'Phoney announcement': India after Pakistan raises reward on Masood Azhar
What's the story
The Indian government has dismissed Pakistan's decision to increase the reward for information on Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a "gimmick." The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said such announcements from a "state sponsor of terror" were part of a pattern. "Such gimmicks and hoodwinking by Pakistan is not new. We have seen such gimmicks in the past as well," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, asserting, "They must take action and not make phoney announcements, which is of no consequence."
Reward increase
FIA lists Azhar as fugitive
Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has listed Azhar as a fugitive in its 2026 Red Book of high-profile terrorists.
The FIA increased the reward on him from PKR 20 lakh to PKR 70 lakh (around ₹24 lakh), weeks ahead of the global body Financial Action Task Force's plenary in October.
Pakistan was removed from the FATF gray list in October 2022 but is under pressure to act against UN-designated terrorists to avoid being placed back on the list.
International bounty
US has placed $10 million bounty on Azhar
The United Nations Security Council designated him a global terrorist in May 2019 after China lifted its "technical hold" on his listing under the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee, which includes ISIS and Al-Qaeda.
At the time, Pakistan said it would "immediately enforce the sanctions imposed on the JeM chief."
This entails a ban on foreign travel, asset freezing, and an arms embargo.
The United States has also put a $10 million bounty on Azhar.
Disputed location
Pakistan claims Azhar is in Afghanistan
Pakistan has maintained since 2021 that Azhar is not in its territory and claims he crossed into Afghanistan. However, India has rejected this claim.
The JeM's Markaz Subhanallah facility at Bahawalpur was among the sites Indian forces said they destroyed during Operation Sindoor in May 2025 after a terror attack in Pahalgam.
Azhar had later claimed that his family members and close associates were killed in the strike.
Terrorist history
Azhar was released in exchange for passengers and crew
Azhar was released from Indian custody in December 1999 in exchange for the passengers and crew of Indian Airlines flight IC-814, which was hijacked from Kathmandu and flown to Kandahar in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
He founded Jaish-e-Mohammed the following year.
The group has been blamed for several attacks, including the 2001 Parliament attack, the 2016 Pathankot airbase attack, and the 2019 Pulwama bombing.