Govt bans J&K groups for involvement in terror, secession bid

New Delhi, Mar 16 (PTI) The Central government on Saturday banned the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Freedom League and all factions of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples League associated with the separatist conglomerate Hurriyat Conference under strict anti-terror laws.

Additionally, the ban on the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), which is led by imprisoned terror accused Yasin Malik, has been extended by another five years.

The announcement came just hours before the schedule for the general elections was to be declared.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the Modi government will remain unsparing to people and organisations involved in terror activities.

“The Modi government has designated the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Freedom League (JKPFL) as an ‘Unlawful Association’ for five years. The organisation threatened India’s integrity by promoting, aiding and abetting the secession of Jammu and Kashmir through terrorism,” he wrote on ‘X’.

Shah also said that pursuing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policy of zero-tolerance towards terrorism, the Union home ministry has declared four factions of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples League “unlawful associations”. There are the JKPL (Mukhtar Ahmed Waza), the JKPL (Bashir Ahmad Tota), the JKPL (Ghulam Mohammad Khan) and the Yaqoob Sheikh-led JKPL (Aziz Sheikh).

These organisations were involved in inciting terror and abetting secessionism in Jammu and Kashmir and the government is committed to suppressing terrorism ruthlessly, he said.

The Union home minister said the Modi government has extended the ban on the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front for a further period of five years.

“The banned outfit continues to engage in activities that foment terror and secessionism in Jammu and Kashmir. Anyone found challenging the security, sovereignty and integrity of the nation will face harsh legal consequences,” he said.

In a notification, the Union home ministry said the JKPFL, chaired by Mohammad Farooq Shah, was indulging in unlawful activities prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty and security of the country.

Members of the JKPFL have remained involved in supporting terrorist activities and anti-India propaganda to incite secessionism in Jammu and Kashmir, and its leaders and members have been involved in mobilising funds to perpetrate unlawful activities, including supporting secessionist, separatist and terrorist activities, in the Union territory, it said.

The JKPFL and its members show sheer disrespect towards the constitutional authority and the constitutional set-up of the country, the Union home ministry said, justifying its decision to ban the group for five years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

In a separate notification, the home ministry said the four factions of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples League (JKPL) were indulging in unlawful activities prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty and security of the country.

It said members of these factions of the JKPL have remained involved in supporting terrorist activities and anti-India propaganda for fuelling secessionism in Jammu and Kashmir.

They have been involved in mobilising violent protests in various parts of Jammu and Kashmir to perpetrate unlawful activities, including sustained stone-pelting on security forces, the ministry said.

The JKPL has constantly asked the people of Jammu and Kashmir to refrain from taking part in elections and thereby, targeted and hampered the very basic constitutionally recognised fundamentals of Indian democracy, the home ministry said, announcing the ban on these groups for five years.

In another notification, the ministry extended the ban on the JKLF-Yasin Malik faction for five years and said that the group has been indulging in activities prejudicial to security and public order and has the potential to disrupt the unity and integrity of the country.

The home ministry also cited neatly a dozen violent cases in which the members of the group were involved.