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Pakistan increases bounty on Masood Azhar in new most-wanted list
Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has released its 2026 ‘Red Book’ of most-wanted terrorists, which includes Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar. The agency has increased the bounty for information leading to Azhar's arrest from PKR 50 lakh to PKR 70 lakh.
India's Ministry of External Affairs has dismissed the move as a “gimmick” and a “phoney announcement,” arguing that Islamabad should take concrete action rather than making hollow statements. Indian intelligence agencies maintain that Azhar is actively hiding in Nawabshah, Sindh province, despite Pakistan's long-standing claim that he fled to Afghanistan.
The announcement comes ahead of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) plenary in October, leading observers to suggest the move is an attempt to avoid being placed back on the FATF grey list. The updated list also includes 19 individuals allegedly linked to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
Entities
Federal Investigation Agency · Federal Investigative Agency · Financial Action Task Force · Jaish-e-Mohammed · Lashkar-e-Taiba · Masood Azhar · Ministry of External Affairs · Pakistan
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 15 SOURCES] The bounty on Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar was increased from PKR 50 lakh to PKR 70 lakh. stratnewsglobal.com · www.indiandefensenews.in · newsable.asianetnews.com · www.newsx.com · yespunjab.com · +10 more
- [● 7 SOURCES] Indian intelligence agencies assert that Masood Azhar is hiding in Nawabshah, Sindh province, Pakistan. stratnewsglobal.com · www.indiandefensenews.in · newsable.asianetnews.com · yespunjab.com · www.bhaskarhindi.com · +1 more
- [● 11 SOURCES] The bounty increase is viewed by experts as a tactic to avoid Financial Action Task Force (FATF) scrutiny. www.indiandefensenews.in · newsable.asianetnews.com · yespunjab.com · desitalkchicago.com · bhaskarlive.in · +5 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] The FIA's updated list includes 19 individuals allegedly linked to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. www.indiandefensenews.in · newsable.asianetnews.com · yespunjab.com · stratnewsglobal.com · www.bhaskarhindi.com · +1 more
- [● 15 SOURCES] Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) released its 2026 Red Book of most wanted terrorists. stratnewsglobal.com · www.indiandefensenews.in · newsable.asianetnews.com · www.newsx.com · yespunjab.com · +10 more
- [● 13 SOURCES] Pakistani authorities have previously claimed Masood Azhar fled to Afghanistan. stratnewsglobal.com · www.indiandefensenews.in · newsable.asianetnews.com · www.newsx.com · www.bhaskarhindi.com · +8 more