Pakistan’s Federal Investigative Agency has released its updated Red Book of most wanted terrorists for 2026, prominently featuring Jaish-e-Mohammed Chief Masood Azhar.

The bounty on Azhar has been increased by ₹70 Lakh, up from the earlier ₹50 Lakh announced in 2021. This move is widely viewed as a smokescreen designed to appease the Financial Action Task Force ahead of its October plenary, as Pakistan attempts to avoid being placed back on the grey list.

In 2021, Pakistan began claiming that Azhar had fled to Afghanistan, even as it placed a ₹50 Lakh reward on him. Five years later, the bounty has been raised, but Indian intelligence assessments over the past six months confirm that Azhar is actively hiding in Nawabshah city in Sindh province. He remains the mastermind behind several terror strikes in India, including the Pulwama attack.

The FIA’s updated Red Book also includes 19 terrorists linked to the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. These individuals were involved in assisting, financing, or managing boats for the attackers. Seventeen of them are listed with photographs and specific roles, but Pakistan has covertly removed the photographs, Lashkar-e-Taiba affiliations, and operational details of two terrorists, retaining only their names.


Muhammad Khan from Turbat, who provided the boat Al-Hussaini, and Abdul Rehman from Bahawalnagar, had their full roles and photos published in the 2021 list, but these details have now been excised.

The roster names 11 LeT operatives responsible for facilitating the sea voyage of the attackers aboard Al-Hussaini and Al-Fauz. These include Muhammad Amjad Khan from Multan, Shahid Gafoor from Bahawalpur, Mohammad Usman from Sahiwal, Ateeq-ur-Rehman from Lahore, Riaz Ahmad from Hafizabad, Muhammad Mushtaq from Gujranwala, Muhammad Naeem from Dera Ghazi Khan, Abdul Shakoor from Karachi, Muhammad Sabir Salfi from Multan, Muhammad Usman from Lodhran, and Shakeel Ahmed from Rahim Yar Khan.

Six terrorists who provided financial backing for the 26/11 attacks are also listed. Muhammad Iftikhar Ali from Faisalabad spent ₹0.70 Lakh to set up VOIP connections enabling communication between attackers and handlers. Mohammad Zia from Rawalpindi contributed ₹0.80 Lakh. Mohammad Abbas Nasir from Khanewal gave ₹2.53 Lakh. Javed Iqbal from Kasur supplied ₹1.86 Lakh. Mukhtar Ahmad from Mandi Bahauddin donated ₹2.98 Lakh. Ahmed Saeed from Battagram provided ₹21 Lakh for the operation. According to the FIA, all 17 terrorists involved in the 26/11 attacks have been absconding for 18 years, though Indian intelligence sources confirm they remain inside Pakistan. Their inclusion in the list is seen as eyewash to misdirect international scrutiny.

Over the past five years, the total count of most wanted terrorists in Pakistan has surged by 35%, rising from 1,330 in 2021 to 1,804 in the latest release. This increase underscores the scale of Pakistan’s internal and cross-border terror infrastructure.

The Jaish-e-Mohammed headquarters in Bahawalpur, known as Markaz Subhan Allah, was among the hardest hit in India’s precision strikes under Operation Sindoor. Located 100 km inside Pakistan, the facility was destroyed by the Indian Armed Forces. Operational since 2015, Markaz Subhan Allah served as the main centre for JeM training and indoctrination, and functioned as its operational headquarters. It was directly associated with terrorist planning, including the Pulwama attack of February 14, 2019.

The Markaz housed the residences of Masood Azhar, de facto JeM Chief Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar, Maulana Ammar, and other family members. Azhar frequently addressed gatherings from this facility, delivering anti-India rhetoric and urging youth to join jihad. JeM conducted regular arms, physical, and religious training for its cadres at this centre, reinforcing its role as a hub of militant activity.

ANI