Archive · 16 Sep 2026
India Rejects Pakistan’s Masood Azhar Bounty Hike as Gimmick
Pakistan announced a larger reward for information that could help capture Masood Azhar.
He leads Jaish-e-Mohammed, a group blamed for several attacks in India.
India said the reward announcement was only a publicity trick.
India wants Pakistan to arrest Azhar instead of making announcements.
Pakistan says Azhar left the country and went to Afghanistan.
India rejects that explanation.
A senior Taliban official also said Azhar is not in Afghanistan.
The announcement came before an international review of Pakistan’s efforts against terrorism financing.
Azhar is listed as a wanted person by Pakistan’s investigation agency.
India dismissed Pakistan’s reported increase of Masood Azhar’s bounty to PKR 70 lakh as a gimmick.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal urged Pakistan to take concrete action against terrorism.
Azhar remains listed in the Federal Investigation Agency’s 2026 Red Book of most-wanted terrorists.
Pakistan says Azhar crossed into Afghanistan, while India and a senior Taliban official reject that claim.
The announcement came before a Financial Action Task Force review of Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts.
- Who
- India, Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency, Masood Azhar, and officials from Afghanistan’s Taliban administration.
- What
- Pakistan reportedly raised the reward for information on Masood Azhar from PKR 50 lakh to PKR 70 lakh; India called the move a gimmick.
- When
- India responded on Tuesday, September 15; the announcement came ahead of the Financial Action Task Force’s planned October plenary.
- Where
- The dispute involves Pakistan and the contested question of whether Azhar is in Pakistan or Afghanistan.
- Why
- Pakistan faces scrutiny over counterterrorism, terrorist financing, and action against United Nations-designated terrorists.
India’s Position
Pakistan’s Stated Position
Meaning of the bounty increase
India’s Position
India described the announcement as a repeated gimmick or phoney statement with no meaningful consequence.
Pakistan’s Stated Position
Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency lists Azhar as a fugitive and reportedly increased the reward for information leading to his arrest.
Azhar’s whereabouts
India’s Position
India rejects Pakistan’s claim that Azhar left Pakistan for Afghanistan and says Pakistan knows where he is.
Pakistan’s Stated Position
Pakistan has maintained since 2021 that Azhar is no longer in Pakistan and crossed into Afghanistan.
International scrutiny
India’s Position
India says Pakistan must take concrete action against terrorism and terrorists designated by the United Nations.
Pakistan’s Stated Position
The bounty announcement and Azhar’s listing demonstrate steps Pakistan can point to while its counterterrorism efforts face Financial Action Task Force-related scrutiny.
- Reported new reward
- PKR 70 lakh, or 7 million Pakistani rupees, increased from PKR 50 lakh.
- Reported discrepancy
- One report described the figures as 50,000 and 70,000 Pakistani rupees, while the other reports used 50 lakh and 70 lakh.
- Fugitive listing
- Azhar is listed in the Federal Investigation Agency’s 2026 Red Book of most-wanted high-profile terrorists.
- First reward
- The Federal Investigation Agency first announced a reward for Azhar in 2021.
- International designations
- The United Nations Security Council designated Azhar a global terrorist in May 2019; the United States has offered $10 million for information leading to his capture.
- FATF scrutiny
- Pakistan’s efforts against terrorism financing and its attempts to arrest Azhar remain under international review.
- India’s response
- India said Pakistan should take concrete action instead of issuing what it called phoney announcements.
Sources
'Such gimmicks by Pak nothing new': India rejects Masood Azhar bounty
"Phoney Announcement": India On 'Terror Sponsor' Pakistan Raising Reward On Masood Azhar
‘We’ve Seen Such Gimmicks Before’: India Dismisses Pakistan’s Masood Azhar Reward Hike
‘Gimmicks’: India on Pakistan’s fresh announcement on Masood Azhar bounty