India Dismisses Pakistan's Masood Azhar Reward Hike as Gimmick

The Indian government has dismissed Pakistan's decision to increase the reward for information leading to the arrest of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar as a gimmick.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addressed a regular media briefing, stating that such announcements by Pakistan were not new and accused the country of attempting to hoodwink people.

Jaiswal said Pakistan should take concrete action instead of making phoney announcements that have no meaningful consequence.

Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency has reportedly increased the reward for Azhar to PKR 70 lakh (around Rs 24 lakh), up from PKR 50 lakh.

He has been listed as a fugitive in the FIA's 2026 Red Book of most-wanted high-profile terrorists. A reward was first announced for him in 2021.

Azhar was designated a global terrorist by the United Nations Security Council in 2019. The US has also announced a $10 million reward for information leading to his capture.

The development comes ahead of the Financial Action Task Force's October plenary, with Pakistan facing scrutiny over action against UN-designated terrorists.

Pakistan has maintained that Azhar is not in the country and had crossed into Afghanistan, a claim rejected by India.

Azhar founded JeM after being released from an Indian jail in 1999 in exchange for passengers of hijacked Indian Airlines flight IC-814.

The group has been blamed for several major terror attacks in India.

This move by Pakistan is seen as an attempt to showcase its commitment to fighting terrorism, but India remains skeptical about the country's intentions.

The Indian government has consistently maintained that Pakistan needs to take concrete action against terrorist groups operating from its soil, rather than just making announcements.

The international community, including the US, has also been critical of Pakistan's handling of terrorism, and the country's actions will be closely watched in the coming days.

The situation highlights the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, with terrorism being a major point of contention.

The Indian government's dismissal of Pakistan's move is a clear indication that it will not be swayed by such gestures, and will continue to push for concrete action against terrorist groups.

In the context of the upcoming Financial Action Task Force plenary, Pakistan's actions will be under scrutiny, and the country will need to demonstrate a genuine commitment to fighting terrorism in order to avoid further repercussions.

The development is significant for India, as it highlights the country's ongoing efforts to counter terrorism and hold Pakistan accountable for its actions.

It also underscores the need for the international community to remain vigilant and push for concrete action against terrorist groups, rather than just relying on announcements and gestures.