New Delhi, September 15, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India on Tuesday dismissed Pakistan’s decision to increase the bounty for information leading to the arrest of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar, calling it a “gimmick” and urging Islamabad to take concrete action against terrorists instead of making what it described as “phoney announcements”.
Addressing a bi-weekly media briefing in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Pakistan’s latest move was similar to such announcements made in the past.
“All that I would say is that such gimmicks and hoodwinking by Pakistan is not new. We have seen such gimmicks in the past as well. For a state sponsor of terror to make a phoney announcement — we all know how hollow it is. They must take action and not make phoney announcements, which is of no consequence,” Jaiswal said.
Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has announced a fresh bounty of PKR 70 lakh on Azhar, while claiming that the JeM chief is hiding in Afghanistan. The claim has been rejected by the Afghan Taliban, while Indian intelligence officials have maintained that Azhar remains in Pakistan.
The FIA has also included 19 other terrorists linked to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in its latest ‘Red Book’.
The development comes as Pakistan continues to face scrutiny over its efforts against terror financing and militant groups. Security officials and observers have questioned whether the increased bounty is intended to create an impression of action against Azhar while keeping his actual whereabouts outside international scrutiny.
This is not the first time Pakistan has announced a bounty on the JeM chief. In 2021, the FIA had announced a PKR 50 lakh bounty on Azhar and similarly maintained that he was not in Pakistan. However, the move did not result in any significant change in the activities of Azhar or the JeM, according to officials.
Azhar has been accused of masterminding several terror attacks in India, including the 2019 Pulwama attack. Indian agencies have consistently maintained that he has been operating from Pakistan despite Islamabad’s denials.
Security officials have also alleged that JeM has adapted its operational methods in Jammu and Kashmir, including the use of proxy organisations and hybrid warfare tactics.
The outfit has operated through fronts such as the People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), which has claimed responsibility for attacks on Indian security forces in the forested areas of Poonch and Rajouri.
Officials and Pakistan observers believe Islamabad’s latest position is aimed at maintaining the impression that Azhar is outside Pakistan and that the country has no direct connection with him.
The development comes ahead of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) meetings scheduled in Paris from October 26 to 30, with officials saying Pakistan is seeking to avoid additional international scrutiny over its handling of militant groups and terror financing.
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