To strengthen India’s counter-terrorism resolve, the Ministry of Home Affairs under Amit Shah has designated seven Pakistan based terror kingpins in the past fortnight under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for terror funding and strikes in Jammu and Kashmir.
The seven terrorists banned under the UAPA on the recommendations of CID, J and K Police are all based in Pakistan. They are: Sajjad Gul, Ashiq Ahmed Nengroo, Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar aka Latram, Arjumand Gulzar Jan aka Hamza Burhan, Ali Kashif Jan, Mohiuddin Aurangzeb Alamgir and Hafiz Talha Saeed. A total of 38 Pakistan-based terrorists have been banned under the UAPA by the MHA.
According to top North Block sources, the reason for preparing a database of Pakistan based terrorists operating in the Valley is manifold. First, a ready-made dossier is being prepared on all these terrorists so that India can take up the issue with the UN and relevant countries.
Two, associates of these designated terrorists will now feel the heat in the Valley as they would be targeted for supporting Pakistan jihadi groups and hence come under the strict scrutiny of law. Third, the properties acquired by these terrorists and their associates will be seized if they are found linked to terror funding or proceeds of crime.
Four, the data bank will be useful to show the Financial Task Action Force (FATF) that Pakistan continues to provide shelter and support to anti-India jihadists operating in Kashmir and the hinterland. With Pakistan already facing an economic crisis partly due to its designation in the FATF grey list, the UAPA list will convince the FATF plenary meeting in Paris this June that the Islamic Republic continues to be the hotbed of Islamic jihad against India. India will also share the dossier on these designated UAPA terrorists with Interpol and like-minded countries like US, France, UAE and Israel so that action can be taken against these jihadists.
This morning, Sajjad Gul and Arjumand Gulzar Jan, chief of Al-Badr, which is trying to raise its ugly head in Pulwama, were banned under UAPA.
Srinagar-born Sajjad Gul, 48, was arrested by Delhi police and was sentenced to five years of imprisonment from 2002- 2007. He came back to Srinagar in 2007 and joined the Institute of Charter Finance & Accountancy as branch head at Karan Nagar. He then visited Pakistan in 2011 on passport number J792120 and stayed in Lahore at his wife’s relative’s house. He came in contact with LeT operatives during his stay in Pakistan.
India designated Nengroo, a commander of banned outfit JeM, as a terrorist for his involvement in various terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir.
He was instrumental in helping JeM chief Moulana Masood Azhar’s nephew Idrees infiltrate J&K via the Samba border. Nengroo, along with his family went missing after NIA summoned him in February 2020. He has been a close confidant of JeM and his activities, according to top security officials, clearly point out his proximity to its chief Masood Azhar.
Officials believe that he has no plans of returning and his aim is to continue to inflict violence on civilians of Jammu and Kashmir to keep the terror running factory up and running.
Zargar is operating as chief of the Al-Umar Mujahidin terrorist outfit from Pakistan. The Srinagar-born terrorist got affiliated with the JKLF outfit and ex-filtrated to PoK for obtaining illegal arms and ammunition training and returned in the year 1989. He remained active with the JKLF outfit up to the year 1991. He was also involved in the abduction of then home minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed’s daughter Rubaiyya Sayeed and demanded the government to release terrorists in exchange for Rubiya Sayeed’s release.