Centre Bans Shabir Shah-Led Jammu And Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party Under UAPA

The ministry of home affairs (MHA) on Thursday banned separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah-led Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP) under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for its alleged anti-India and pro-Pakistan activities.

Shah was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on July 25, 2017, in a 2005 money laundering case and is also an accused in a terror-funding case investigated by the National Investigation Agency. He is currently lodged in a Delhi jail.

According to a notification issued by the ministry, Shah founded JKDFP in 1998, Kashmir as a ‘dispute’ and ruled out any settlement within the framework of the constitution of India.

“The members of the JKDFP have been at the forefront of secessionist activities in the Jammu and Kashmir and want to create a separate Islamic State. The leader of members of the JKDFP have been involved in raising funds through various sources including Pakistan and its proxy organizations for perpetrating unlawful activities, including supporting terrorist activities, sustained stone-pelting on security forces in Jammu and Kashmir,” MHA notification said.

It further said that JKDFP and its members, by their activities, show sheer disrespect towards the constitutional authority and constitutional set up of the country.

Shah, the ministry alleged, has been indulging in unlawful activities prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty, security and communal harmony of the country and there have been a number of inputs showing linkages of the JKDFP with banned terrorist organizations.

“Hence, immediate and prompt action is required against the organization. The Central government is of the opinion that if there is no immediate curb or control of unlawful activities of the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party, it will use this opportunity to continue with the anti-national activities which are detrimental to the territorial integrity, security and sovereignty of the country; continue advocating the secession of the Jammu and Kashmir from the Union of India while disputing its accession to the Union of India; escalate its insurrectionary activities including attempt to carve out an Islamic State out of the territory of the Union of India by destabilizing the government established by law; continue propagating anti-national sentiments of the people of Jammu and Kashmir with the intention to cause disaffection against India and disrupt public order”.

The central government is firmly of the opinion that having regard to the activities of the party, it is necessary to declare it as an ‘unlawful association’ with immediate effect, it said.