The Indian side’s case hinges on the Taliban regime’s recent denial of Pakistan’s claim that Azhar is in Afghanistan, said people familiar wiht the matter
India is set to corner Pakistan at the plenary meeting of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) beginning on October 28 over Islamabad’s failure to crack down on the activities of UN-designated terrorist and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar, people familiar with the matter said.
The Indian side’s case hinges on the Taliban regime’s recent denial of Pakistan’s claim that Azhar is currently in Afghanistan, the people said on condition of anonymity.
While Pakistan has taken some steps to curb the activities of other UN-designated terrorists, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed, there is no evidence of similar action against Azhar, they added.
Over the past week, the Indian side has quietly sounded out diplomats from partner countries and key members of the FATF to gain support for its move that is expected to figure at the FATF plenary meeting to be held in Paris during October 28-30, the people said.
This will be the first FATF plenary meeting under the presidency of Giles Thomson of the United Kingdom, and delegates from across the financial watchdog’s global network of more than 200 jurisdictions and observer organisations will gather in Paris to discuss evolving threats to global financial integrity and security. The FATF is set to review Pakistan’s anti-terror efforts at the plenary meeting.
The Indian side has focused on Azhar, wanted by New Delhi for several terror attacks such as the 2001 Parliament strike, the 2016 Pathankot airbase assault and the 2019 Pulwama bombing, after the Taliban regime dismissed the contention of Pakistani officials that the JeM founder has been in Afghanistan since 2019.
In September, Taliban spokesperson Zia Ahmad Thakal denied that Azhar was in Afghanistan, or that Pakistan has sent any formal communication regarding the JeM chief’s presence in Afghanistan. He also reiterated the Taliban’s policy of not allowing Afghan territory to be used against any country.
India too urged Pakistan last month to act against sanctioned terrorists based on its soil instead of resorting to “gimmicks” such as a “phoney announcement” of a bounty for Azhar. Pakistan has maintained a bounty of Pakistani ₹7 million on Azhar for several years.
Azhar was freed by India with two other terrorists in exchange for the passengers on flight IC 814, which was hijacked from Kathmandu to Kandahar in December 1999. He is listed among the most-wanted terrorists in the “Red Book” of Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA). Azhar was also designated as a global terrorist by the UN Security Council in May 2019 after China removed a block to his listing.
Several of Azhar’s relatives were killed during an Indian strike on the JeM’s main base at Bahawalpur in May 2025 in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack.