Delhi, July 4: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has released a fresh list of 23 Pakistan-based operatives designated as individual terrorists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Among those named is Nazir Ahmed Gujjar, a native of Doda district in Jammu & Kashmir, who is currently residing in Pakistan.
According to notifications issued by the MHA, the designated individuals are associated with banned terror organisations, including Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). They have been accused of involvement in terrorism-related activities such as recruitment of youth, facilitating cross-border infiltration, terror financing, arms smuggling, and providing logistical support for attacks in India.
Of the 23 individuals, 11 are natives of Jammu & Kashmir, while the remaining are Pakistani nationals. The MHA stated that seven of the J&K natives are currently based in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), while four, including Nazir Ahmed Gujjar of Doda, are residing in Pakistan.
The other J&K natives named in the notifications include Haroon Rashid Ganai (Anantnag), Owais Farooz Mir (Pulwama), Bilal Ahmad Mir (Sopore), Abid Qayoom Lone (Baramulla), Masood Ilyas Kashmiri, Mufti Muhammad Asghar Khan, Hafiz Abdul Shakoor, Abdullah Jehadi, and Ghulam Fareed.
The MHA stated that several of the designated operatives are senior functionaries of JeM and LeT and are allegedly involved in planning and coordinating terror attacks, managing infiltration routes, radicalising youth through online platforms, and facilitating the movement of weapons and militants into Jammu & Kashmir.
With the latest notifications, the total number of individuals designated as terrorists under the UAPA has increased to 80. The provision to designate individuals as terrorists was introduced through an amendment to the UAPA in 2019, empowering authorities to take stronger legal action against those involved in terrorism.
The designation allows investigating agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), to initiate measures such as freezing assets, restricting financial transactions, and strengthening legal proceedings against the listed individuals.
The MHA said the move is part of the Centre's continued efforts to dismantle cross-border terror infrastructure and hold Pakistan-based handlers accountable for their role in orchestrating terrorist activities, particularly in Jammu & Kashmir.