''Smokescreen to escape FATF scrutiny'': Defence expert on Pakistan''s bounty on JeM chief Masood Azhar

Reacting to Pakistan''s decision, Mahajan said, "Pakistan has stated that Masood Azhar is a most wanted terrorist and has raised the bounty on him from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 70 lakh. How should we analyze this? I think the answer is quite simple: it is largely a smokescreen Pakistan is creating to escape the scrutiny of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)."

He said the FATF is scheduled to meet in October and Pakistan will face questions over steps taken to curb terrorism originating from its soil.

"The FATF is meeting in October and will question Pakistan on the steps it has taken to curb terrorism originating from its soil—specifically, whether it has halted financial support and other forms of aid. Consequently, merely to appear as a ''good boy'' in the eyes of the international community, the United Nations, and the US, Pakistan has issued this statement claiming to monitor Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar," he said.

Mahajan further said that concrete action against terror networks would be needed before Pakistan''s claims could be trusted.

"Unless specific actions are taken on the ground—such as shutting down all terror camps, cutting off financial support, and actually apprehending Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar—we cannot trust Pakistan''s claims," he added.

Earlier today, Pakistan''s Federal Investigative Agency (FIA) released a list of most wanted terrorists for 2026. One of the terrorists in the Red Book is Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) Chief Masood Azhar. The bounty on Azhar has been raised by PKR 20 Lakh to PKR 70 Lakh.

This bid to show Azhar on the list of terrorists appears to be nothing more than a smokescreen from Pakistan. The move comes ahead of the upcoming Financial Action Task Force (FATF) plenary in October, as Pakistan seeks to avoid falling back onto the grey list, said sources.

To evade action and deceive the international community, Pakistan began claiming in 2021 that Azhar was no longer on its soil but had fled to Afghanistan, while the FIA initially placed a PKR 50 lakh reward on him that same year. Five years later, the bounty was hiked to PKR 70 lakh. Azhar is the mastermind behind several terror strikes in India including the Pulwama strike.

Sources say that despite Pakistan''s persistent narrative since 2021 that Azhar is hiding in Afghanistan, technical analysis by Indian intelligence agencies over the past six months had revealed that he is actively hiding in Nawabshah city within Pakistan''s Sindh province. (ANI)