Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Pakistan’s decision to increase the bounty on Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar is a “gimmick” and a “phoney announcement” that will have no consequence, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Tuesday, calling on Islamabad to take concrete action against the terror chief.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Pakistan’s latest move was an attempt to “hoodwink” people and was nothing new “Such gimmicks and attempts at hoodwinking people by Pakistan are nothing new. We have seen similar gimmicks in the past as well,” Jaiswal said.
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“For a state sponsor of terrorism to make such phoney announcements, we all know how hollow they are. Pakistan must take concrete action rather than make announcements that are ultimately of no consequence,” he added.
PAKISTAN RAISES MASOOD AZHAR BOUNTY
Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has increased the bounty on Azhar by PKR 20 lakh, taking it from PKR 50 lakh to PKR 70 lakh in its latest list of most-wanted terrorists.
The FIA had announced the PKR 50 lakh reward in 2021 for information leading to Azhar’s arrest. Pakistan has maintained that the JeM chief is no longer in the country and is hiding in Afghanistan.
However, Indian intelligence agencies believe Azhar is in Pakistan’s Sindh province, with sources saying the assessment is based on technical analysis carried out over the past six months.
Azhar is wanted in India in connection with several terror attacks, including the February 2019 Pulwama bombing that killed 40 CRPF personnel.
MOVE AHEAD OF FATF MEETING
The increase in the bounty comes weeks before the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) plenary in October.
According to sources, Azhar’s inclusion in the FIA’s 2026 Red Book and the increase in the reward are aimed at projecting action against terror networks ahead of the FATF meeting and avoiding renewed scrutiny.
The move, however, has drawn a sharp response from New Delhi, with the MEA questioning the credibility of Pakistan’s announcement and demanding concrete action.
JEM BASE TARGETED IN OPERATION SINDOOR
Azhar’s terror organisation was also targeted by India during Operation Sindoor.
The Indian armed forces said Markaz Subhanallah in Bahawalpur, around 100 km inside Pakistan, was destroyed during the strikes. The facility, operational since 2015, served as the Jaish-e-Mohammed’s main training and indoctrination centre as well as its operational headquarters.
The facility was also linked to the planning of the Pulwama attack and housed members of Azhar’s family and senior JeM figures, including Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar and Maulana Ammar.
Indian authorities have said Azhar delivered speeches from the facility, promoted anti-India violence and encouraged people to join the organisation.
2 MUMBAI ATTACK ACCUSED REMOVED
The latest FIA Red Book also contains the names of 19 people linked to the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks for allegedly helping finance the operation or arranging boats used by the attackers.
While 17 are listed with their photographs and details of their alleged roles, the photographs, Lashkar-e-Taiba affiliations and operational details of two others have been removed. Only their names remain in the latest list.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
