NEW DELHI: The Indian government has imposed a five-year ban on two Islamic organizations based in Illegally occupied Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, citing their alleged involvement in anti-India activities, according to reports received from across the Line of Control (LoC).
The two outfits, Awami Action Committee (AAC) and Jammu and Kashmir Ittihadul Muslimeen (JKIM), have been designated as unlawful under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, a notification issued by India’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) confirmed on Tuesday.
According to the MHA notification, members of both groups were involved in promoting activities deemed as supporting terrorism and anti-India propaganda in Jammu and Kashmir. The ban is part of New Delhi’s broader crackdown on organizations that it claims are fostering separatist sentiments in the region.
AAC, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and JKIM, headed by Masroor Abbas Ansari, have played significant roles in the region’s political and religious landscape. Mirwaiz, a prominent religious and political figure, has been a key advocate for dialogue on Kashmir’s political future.
The move comes amid escalating restrictions on political and religious organizations in Jammu and Kashmir following India’s revocation of the region’s special status in 2019. Several political and religious figures have faced arrests, while many groups advocating Kashmiri self-determination have been outlawed.
India has maintained that such measures are necessary to curb militancy and maintain order in the region, while critics argue that they are part of a broader campaign to stifle dissent.
The ban on AAC and JKIM is expected to add to tensions in the region, which has witnessed increased crackdowns on pro-freedom movements in recent years.
