UAPA Tribunal upholds Centre’s decision to extend ban on JKLF
The Tribunal handling matters under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) has upheld the Union Home Ministry’s decision to extend the ban on the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) as an unlawful association for an additional five years.
On March 15, 2024, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) extended the ban on the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), led by Yasin Malik, who is currently imprisoned on terror charges.
The UAPA tribunal, chaired by Justice Neena Bansal Krishna of the Delhi High Court, upheld this decision, stating that there is no tolerance for associations that openly promote secessionism.
UAPA Tribunal, however, noted, “Even though Md. Yasin Malik repeatedly claimed during proceedings that he had given up armed resistance and was following a Gandhian mode of struggle to achieve their professed aim since 1994, his proclivity to continue to engage with violent means and with entities/persons who are avowedly committed to violent means are too stark to be ignored”.
“He has not only been engaging with wanted terrorists but has even admitted to having visited a terrorist camp in PoK where he has been felicitated as well. In his reply cum affidavit, Md. Yasin Malik has sought to explain these aspects but the same is patently a superficial effort to explain just for the sake of it,” said the court.
The investigation conducted by the NIA and subsequently by the Enforcement Directorate reveals that Yasin Malik has been at the forefront of using illegally mobilised funds for aiding violent activities in Jammu & Kashmir.
During the hearing before the UAPA tribunal, Yasin Malik, convicted of terror financing and serving a life sentence, stated that he had renounced armed struggle in favour of a Gandhian approach to resist what he perceives as Indian occupation of Jammu and Kashmir.
Malik, as the sole witness for the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF-Y), submitted a reply-cum-affidavit detailing his belief that armed struggle was the only path to fulfil the aspirations of the Kashmiri youth. He expressed that he later adopted a peaceful resistance approach, claiming engagement with Central government officials to seek a dialogue for resolving the Kashmir issue.
