Pakistan names Jaish chief Masood Azhar among most wanted terrorists, hikes bounty to PKR 70 lakh ahead of FATF review
Pakistan has increased the bounty on Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar to PKR 70 lakh and updated its most wanted list ahead of an upcoming FATF review. The list also includes individuals accused of facilitating the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
Why it matters
This move is a strategic effort by Pakistan to demonstrate compliance with international anti-terror financing standards and avoid being placed on the FATF grey list.
Pakistan's federal investigative agency (FIA) has reportedly issued its 2026 list of most wanted terrorists, with Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar among those named. The reward for information leading to his capture has been raised from PKR 20 lakh to PKR 70 lakh.The move to include Azhar on the list comes ahead of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) plenary scheduled for October, as Pakistan seeks to prevent its return to the grey list. Notably, FATF is the global body that sets standards to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.Pakistan lists Masood Azhar among most wanted terroristsPakistan has claimed since 2021 that Azhar is no longer in the country and had instead escaped to Afghanistan. The FIA had announced a PKR 50 lakh reward for information leading to his arrest that year.
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