Archive · 15 Sep 2026
Pakistan’s Masood Azhar Reward Grows Amid Continuing FATF Scrutiny
Pakistan has been under pressure to arrest Masood Azhar.
In 2021, it offered a reward of PKR 50 lakh for information about him.
At that time, Pakistan was on a financial-watch list called the FATF grey list.
One reason was concern that UN-listed terrorists were not being prosecuted there.
Pakistan left the grey list in October 2022.
However, it still faced review by another group called the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering.
The article says Pakistan had promised to arrest Azhar, but the reward increased instead.
A FATF leader later said that leaving the grey list does not completely protect a country from terrorism.
Pakistan’s reward for information leading to Masood Azhar’s capture rose from PKR 50 lakh in 2021, according to the article.
Pakistan was on the FATF grey list in 2021, partly over its failure to prosecute UN-listed terrorists on its soil.
The FATF removed Pakistan from its grey list in October 2022, while the country remained under Asia/Pacific Group review.
A reported outstanding commitment was Pakistan’s promise to arrest Masood Azhar.
In October 2025, FATF President Elisa de Anda Madrazo warned that leaving the grey list does not make countries “bulletproof” against terrorists.
- Who
- Pakistan, Masood Azhar, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), and the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering are central to the report; Hafiz Saeed and Elisa de Anda Madrazo are also mentioned.
- What
- Pakistan’s reward for information on Masood Azhar is discussed alongside its past FATF grey-listing and continuing review of its counterterrorism commitments.
- When
- The reward was introduced in 2021; Pakistan left the FATF grey list in October 2022; Elisa de Anda Madrazo issued the cited warning in October 2025.
- Where
- Pakistan.
- Why
- The pressure relates to Pakistan’s commitments to arrest or prosecute UN-listed terrorists, including Masood Azhar, and to address money-laundering and terrorist-financing concerns.
- Reward introduced
- PKR 50 lakh in 2021
- FATF status in 2021
- Pakistan was on the FATF grey list
- Grey-list exit
- Pakistan left the FATF grey list in October 2022
- Continuing oversight
- Pakistan remained under review by the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering
- Reported commitment
- Pakistan promised to arrest Masood Azhar
- Other named militant
- Lashkar-e-Taiba’s Hafiz Saeed
- 2025 warning
- FATF President Elisa de Anda Madrazo said leaving the grey list does not make a country “bulletproof” against terrorists