The recent decision by the Modi government to extend the ban on Yasin Malik’s Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) for an additional five years and label it as an ‘Unlawful Association’ underscores the ongoing efforts to combat activities promoting terror and secessionism in the region. Union Home Minister Amit Shah highlighted that the Yasin Malik faction of JKLF has been engaging in actions that pose a threat to security, sovereignty, and integrity in Jammu and Kashmir.
In a statement Shah emphasized the government’s commitment to zero tolerance towards terrorism. The move to declare the JKLF (Yasin Malik faction) as an ‘Unlawful Association’ for an extended period aims to curb activities that incite terror and separatism in the region, with severe legal consequences for those challenging the nation’s security.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has identified four factions of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples League as ‘Unlawful Associations’. These factions, led by individuals like Mukhtar Ahmed Waza and Aziz Sheikh, have been implicated in promoting terrorism and supporting secessionist agendas in Jammu and Kashmir.
Yasin Malik, the chief of JKLF, was recently sentenced to life imprisonment for various offenses under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has sought to enhance his sentence to the death penalty, the maximum punishment for his crimes, including waging war against the government of India and raising funds for terrorist activities.
The court’s verdict awarded Malik a 10-year jail term for multiple charges related to criminal conspiracy, terrorism, and being a member of a terror organization, reflecting the severity of his actions.