Pak’s farcical attempt to locate JeM chief

Anil Anand

a.anil.anand@gmail.coml

What can be more farcical than Pakistan junta (a so called democratically elected Government being back-seat-driven by the army) raising bounty on the head of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Azhar Masud for information leading to his arrest?

Rather than honestly searching in their own backyard or proverbially speaking "pulling the rabbit out of the hat", the Pakistan dispensation wants the world to believe that it is hiking the bounty on Azhar's head from existing 50 lakh to 70 lakh Pakistani rupees to locate him from the deep sea. If he could not be located for half a million rupees, simply because he must be hiding in their own closet, how will Rs 20 lakh hike, announced on the eve of the plenary session of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) slated to be held in Paris next month, make sense. It could make sense from the Pakistan's perspective but no one else is ready to take them on their face value.

The reason is that FATF looks into the deficiencies, world-over, in money laundering and counter-terror funding mechanisms of various countries. Pakistan, perhaps, is on the top of FATF list on this count. In the past also Islamabad was placed on the grey list of FATF, between 2018 to 2022, for systemic deficiencies in the mechanism related to money laundering and counter-terror funding. It had led to international financial institutions and various countries tightening screws on Pakistan to provide financial assistance which added to the economic woes of the country.

In order to exit the grey listing, Pakistan was at that point in time forced to take a number of so-called remedial steps which were more cosmetic in nature. This included banning JeM and LeT and their fronts and convicting leaders of these outfits, although these moves were meant only to hoodwink the international community as no plausible improvement on ground was visible.

Fully realizing the consequences of another censure by FATF on this front and in a desperate bid to prevent a further hit to the country's economy, Pakistan raised the bounty on Jem chief Azhar in its Federal Investigative Agency (FIA) Red Book. Perhaps, they want the world to trust their sincerity to curb terror funding by hauling up the ilks of Azhar. Given the ground realities prevailing in Pakistan and their previous track-record on this front, Islamabad has scored a self-goal by increasing bounty for information leading to his arrest rather than taking concrete measures to unearth him.

The sincerity of Pakistan dispensation, present and past, has to be viewed in the context and manner in which JeM was given a VIP treatment. The Jem headquarters, the Markaz Subhanallah complex in Pakistan's Bahawalpur was totally destroyed by the Indian security forces during Operation Sindoor strikes in which many top operators including close relatives of Azhar were killed.

Unbelievably, the massive structure was rebuilt within 15 months of its destruction. And how did it happen? It could not have happened without the patronage of Pakistan government. And intelligence reports emanating from Islamabad suggest that the government and the ISI provided about 25 crore Pakistani rupees in cash installments to the JeM top heads including Azhar.

In this background Pakistan junta hiking the bounty on Azhar's head sounds funny than convincing. On the contrary and as a prelude to taking this step Islamabad had levelled serious allegation against Taliban spearheaded government of Afghanistan to have given shelter to Azhar which was denied by Kabul.

It sounded as bizarre as Pakistan's "frantic" efforts at locating the JeM chief elsewhere other than in its own closets. After all Osama bin Laden was found by the USA in Pakistan's attics before smoking him out

Observers feel that the move, raising bounty, is superficial compliance designed to pull wool over international regulators including FATF. Will it really work with FATF?

Although the answer to this question will only be available next month, it has to be searched in the backdrop of Azhar's previous history and Pakistan role in encouraging him to carry out terror acts against India. He was designated as a global terrorist by the UN Security Council in May 2019. Azhar remains wanted in India for major terror attacks, including the 2001 Parliament strike, the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the 2016 Pathankot airbase assault, and the 2019 Pulwama bombing.

Rather than indulging in theatrics and diversionary tactics, Islamabad should act on Azhar case on real time basis. The JeM involvement (through its chief) in series of acts of terror on the Indian soil, should have resulted in better sense prevailing among the Pakistani rulers as use the opportunity as a concrete Confidence Building Measure (CBM) to improve relations with India.

Islamabad should seriously mull over handing over Azhar to India so that he could be tried in the high-profile acts of terror that his outfit performed on Indian soil. What better concrete CBM than this? And such a move will have a lasting impact on international watchdogs such as FATF and above all the United Nations where Pakistan frequently faces embarrassment for terror funding and fomenting terrorism on Indian soil.

This can also provide an opportunity to Pakistan's policy and diplomacy framers to discard venomous anti-India tirade that it keeps launching through people like Azhar and other means. They must realise that likes of JeM chief Azhar cannot become the pivot of their foreign policy particularly vis-à-vis an important neighbour such as India. The country has already paid a heavy price on this count which is reflecting in prevailing serious economic crisis? Does it warrant the Pakistan government spending crores in rebuilding network of terror outfits?

Such a move of far-reaching consequences coupled with the India-Pakistan hockey match in connection Men's Asian Championship Trophy to be played next month, can usher the sub-continent in a new era. However, it is easier said than done.

Reacting to Pakistan announcing a reward of PKR 70 lakh for information leading to the arrest of JeM chief Masood Azhar, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Mr Randhir Jaiswal dismissed the move as a "gimmick" and a "hollow" announcement. He said Pakistan has made similar announcements in the past and accused the country of attempting to "hoodwink" people. He said a state that sponsors terrorism should take concrete action rather than make announcements that have no meaningful consequence.