The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday banned jailed separatist Shabir Ahmad Shah's Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP) for five years. The Centre cited "anti-India" and "pro-Pakistan" activities of the party for the ban. The ban was ordered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

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.

Praveen Vashista, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs said, “Whereas, the JKDPF was formed in 1998 by Shabir Ahmad Shah, a prominent separatist known for his anti-India and pro-Pakistan propaganda… And whereas, the founder of the JKDFP had called Kashmir 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 Jammu and Kashmir and want to create a separate Islamic State. The leader of members of the JKDFP has 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.

The state further accused JKDFP and its members of showing sheer disrespect towards the constitutional authority and constitutional setup of the country by their activities.

"There have been a number of inputs showing linkages of the JKDFP with banned terrorist organizations, the JKDFP, and its members have been involved in violent terrorist activities with an intent to create a reign of terror in the country, thereby endangering the security and public order of the state, and its anti-national activities also show disrespect and disregard to the constitutional authority and sovereignty of the State, hence an immediate and prompt action is required against the organization," the notification read.

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.

The Ministry of Home Affairs said the central government is of the opinion that if there is no immediate curb or control of unlawful activities of the JKDFP, it will use this opportunity to continue with its anti-national activities, advocate secession of Jammu and Kashmir, 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.

Image source: Hindustan Times