Masood Azhar's bounty hike: Is Pakistan's FATF move merely symbolic? Expert weighs in

Pakistan is taking steps to appear more committed to fighting terrorism and financing it ahead of an important meeting of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). The country has added the chief of the JeM terrorist group, Masood Azhar, to its list of most-wanted criminals, along with raising the reward for his capture or death by PKR 20 lakh, for a total of PKR 70 lakh.

This move is seen as a symbolic gesture to demonstrate Pakistan's resolve to combat terrorism before the FATF plenary meeting in October. The FATF evaluates Pakistan's actions based on the substance, not just the appearance of action, which means that India might use this assessment to its advantage in diplomatic negotiations. Former Indian Foreign Service officer Suresh K Goel believes that such moves have been part of Pakistan's strategy to convince international partners that it is taking action against terrorism.

However, the real impact will depend on how the FATF members perceive the effectiveness of Pakistan's actions. Goel also noted that some countries within the FATF framework have strong ties with Pakistan, which could influence the FATF's decision. The timing of the announcement is crucial as Pakistan is under pressure to show credible and enforceable actions against terrorism before the FATF meeting.

The previous removal of Pakistan from the FATF's grey list in 2022 due to its action plan completion could have significant consequences if it returns to increased monitoring. India, particularly, is closely watching Pakistan's actions as the JeM chief is a designated terrorist by the UN Security Council and has been linked to several attacks on India.

While the increased bounty may not significantly alter the assessment of Pakistan's actions, it is unlikely to be the sole factor in the FATF's decision.