India
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India calls Pakistan Azhar bounty hike a gimmick
NDTV··15 Sept
India on Tuesday dismissed Pakistan's move to raise the reward for information on Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a gimmick. Pakistan's FIA 2026 most-wanted list raised the bounty to PKR 70 lakh from PKR 20 lakh. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal urged concrete action instead of hollow announcements. Azhar was designated a UN global terrorist in 2019.
Prism
What It Means For You
- Jaiswal said announcements from a state sponsor of terror are hollow without enforcement.
- Pakistan has said since 2021 that Azhar fled to Afghanistan.
- The listing comes ahead of a FATF plenary scheduled for October.
What's Happening
- FIA named Azhar in its 2026 Red Book and set the reward at PKR 70 lakh.
- Jaiswal called the step a phoney announcement and an attempt to deceive.
- India linked Azhar to attacks including the 2001 Parliament assault and 2019 Pulwama bombing.
How Azhar entered Pakistan's Red Book
- Azhar's name first appeared in the FIA Red Book in 2021.
- TOI reported he is listed at serial number 1480 among 1,804 most-wanted names.
- The UN Security Council designated him a global terrorist in May 2019 after China lifted a hold.
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