NEW DELHI: Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front -Yasin ( JKLF-Y ) chairman Yasin Malik , in his affidavit submitted to the UAPA tribunal that reviewed the ban on JKLF-Y, claimed that he gave up “armed struggle” in 1994 as a means to achieve JKLF-Y's object of establishing a “United Independent Kashmir”, in favour of a “Gandhian way of resistance”.
Yasin’s affidavit -- cited in the UAPA Tribunal’s order issued last month and published in the gazette on Thursday, upholding the declaration of JKLF-Y as an ‘unlawful association’ under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, for a further five years -- adds, “through questionable factual assertions”, how top political and govt functionaries at the Centre have, since 1994, engaged with him to explore a peaceful settlement to the Kashmir issue raised by the separatists.
Yasin, who founded JKLF-Y in 1988, is a prime accused in the sensational killing of four Indian Air Force personnel at Rawalpora, Srinagar, in 1990, with witnesses having identified him as the main shooter earlier this year. He was also sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for life in May 2022 in a terror financing case probed by NIA.
Yasin, in his reply-cum-affidavit to the tribunal, claimed that he was assured by “various state officials” in the early Nineties that they shall resolve the Kashmir dispute through a meaningful dialogue and that once he initiated a unilateral ceasefire, all cases against him and JKLF-Y members would be taken back. “Subsequently, a unilateral ceasefire was declared in 1994 by him and his organisation and consequently, he was provided bail in all the 32 pending militancy-related cases under TADA and, thereafter, none of the cases were pursued against him in terms of the ceasefire agreement from 1994 till 2018,” records the tribunal’s order.
The JKLF-Y boss claimed that while armed militancy was the outfit’s chosen path from 1988 to 1994 to achieve its aim of establishing a United Independent Kashmir by reintegrating PoK, Gilgit, Baltistan with J&K, “after the year 1994, the said efforts were continued through a non-violent struggle”.
The Centre, both in its ban notification dated March 15, 2024, as well as through depositions by officers investigating cases against JKLF-Y, maintained that though Yasin had distanced himself from armed resistance in 1994, he did not step back from supporting and sustaining terrorism. “He used his new facade to become one of the most important channels of financial resources for the violent campaign. JKLF-Y continued its anti-national activities and...played a vital role in the riots which broke out during the years 2008, 2010 and 2016,” it was submitted.
Yasin sought to dismiss the charge that he had received Rs 15 lakh from terror-financing accused Zahoor Ahmad Watali as “concocted”, but the tribunal in its order noted that he had refused to comment when asked by ED the purpose of receiving this money. On NIA’s charge that he is implicated in over 89 cases of stone pelting post the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani in 2016, Yasin said he was in police custody during the violence.
Though Yasin claimed JKLF-Y officers in Kashmir were closed since it was first banned in 2019, he admitted that its international branches in over 50 countries are functional and supporting the cause of the outfit. This belies his submission that there is no unlawful activity by JKLF-Y and its cadres since the 2019 ban.
The tribunal, in its order confirming the ban on JKLF-Y, said there is no denial to the assertions by witnesses who deposed on behalf of the Union of India, that JKLF-Y has indulged in acts of secessionism and is still committed to secession of J&K from the Indian Union, “which directly and gravely impinges upon the territorial integrity of India”.
Yasin’s affidavit -- cited in the UAPA Tribunal’s order issued last month and published in the gazette on Thursday, upholding the declaration of JKLF-Y as an ‘unlawful association’ under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, for a further five years -- adds, “through questionable factual assertions”, how top political and govt functionaries at the Centre have, since 1994, engaged with him to explore a peaceful settlement to the Kashmir issue raised by the separatists.
Yasin, who founded JKLF-Y in 1988, is a prime accused in the sensational killing of four Indian Air Force personnel at Rawalpora, Srinagar, in 1990, with witnesses having identified him as the main shooter earlier this year. He was also sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for life in May 2022 in a terror financing case probed by NIA.
Yasin, in his reply-cum-affidavit to the tribunal, claimed that he was assured by “various state officials” in the early Nineties that they shall resolve the Kashmir dispute through a meaningful dialogue and that once he initiated a unilateral ceasefire, all cases against him and JKLF-Y members would be taken back. “Subsequently, a unilateral ceasefire was declared in 1994 by him and his organisation and consequently, he was provided bail in all the 32 pending militancy-related cases under TADA and, thereafter, none of the cases were pursued against him in terms of the ceasefire agreement from 1994 till 2018,” records the tribunal’s order.
The JKLF-Y boss claimed that while armed militancy was the outfit’s chosen path from 1988 to 1994 to achieve its aim of establishing a United Independent Kashmir by reintegrating PoK, Gilgit, Baltistan with J&K, “after the year 1994, the said efforts were continued through a non-violent struggle”.
The Centre, both in its ban notification dated March 15, 2024, as well as through depositions by officers investigating cases against JKLF-Y, maintained that though Yasin had distanced himself from armed resistance in 1994, he did not step back from supporting and sustaining terrorism. “He used his new facade to become one of the most important channels of financial resources for the violent campaign. JKLF-Y continued its anti-national activities and...played a vital role in the riots which broke out during the years 2008, 2010 and 2016,” it was submitted.
Yasin sought to dismiss the charge that he had received Rs 15 lakh from terror-financing accused Zahoor Ahmad Watali as “concocted”, but the tribunal in its order noted that he had refused to comment when asked by ED the purpose of receiving this money. On NIA’s charge that he is implicated in over 89 cases of stone pelting post the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani in 2016, Yasin said he was in police custody during the violence.
Though Yasin claimed JKLF-Y officers in Kashmir were closed since it was first banned in 2019, he admitted that its international branches in over 50 countries are functional and supporting the cause of the outfit. This belies his submission that there is no unlawful activity by JKLF-Y and its cadres since the 2019 ban.
The tribunal, in its order confirming the ban on JKLF-Y, said there is no denial to the assertions by witnesses who deposed on behalf of the Union of India, that JKLF-Y has indulged in acts of secessionism and is still committed to secession of J&K from the Indian Union, “which directly and gravely impinges upon the territorial integrity of India”.
