Two Kashmiri Organizations
Pakistan on Wednesday strongly condemned India’s decision to impose a five-year ban on two Kashmiri political organizations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), calling it yet another attempt to stifle dissent and suppress the voices advocating for Kashmiri rights.
India’s Home Ministry, in an order issued late on Tuesday, declared the Awami Action Committee (AAC) an unlawful association under the country’s stringent anti-terror laws, accusing it of engaging in activities “prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty, and security” of India. The notification further alleged that members of the AAC were involved in “supporting terrorist activities and anti-India propaganda for fuelling secessionism.”
Another order also banned the Jammu and Kashmir Ittihadul Muslimeen (JKIM) for a period of five years. The JKIM, founded by the renowned political and religious leader Maulana Mohammad Abbas Ansari, was accused of showing “sheer disrespect towards the constitutional authority” and promoting Kashmir’s “secession” from India.
With these latest bans, the total number of Kashmiri political parties and organizations outlawed by Indian authorities has now reached 16. In a statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Office denounced the move, calling it a clear reflection of the Indian government’s “iron-fisted approach” in IIOJK.
“Banning different political parties and organizations is yet another manifestation of India’s desire to suppress political activities and stifle dissent,” the Foreign Office said. “It also demonstrates a sheer disregard for democratic norms and international human rights law.”
Pakistan urged India to “remove the curbs on Kashmiri political parties, release all political prisoners, and faithfully implement the UN Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir.”
Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government revoked IIOJK’s special status in 2019 and imposed direct rule, India has banned 10 political groups in the region. Critics argue that civil liberties have been systematically eroded, with dissenting voices facing increased suppression.
Amit Shah, India’s Home Minister, justified the ban on social media, warning that anyone engaging in “anti-national” activities would face the “crushing blow” of Modi’s administration.
The AAC, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has historically been an influential voice in Kashmir’s political landscape. Formed in 1964 following a major movement for Kashmir’s right to self-determination, the party has refrained from participating in elections held in the region.
Reacting to the ban, Farooq called it a “continuation of the policy of intimidation and disempowerment” that India intensified in IIOJK following the 2019 crackdown.
“The voice of truth may be suppressed through force but will not be silenced,” Farooq wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Even pro-India political parties in IIOJK have spoken out against the ban in a rare act of unity. Mehbooba Mufti, leader of the People’s Democratic Party, warned that “suppressing dissent will only deepen tensions.”
For decades, Kashmiri resistance groups have fought for either independence or a merger with Pakistan, while India has continued to tighten its grip on the region. Pakistan maintains that the people of Kashmir must be granted their right to self-determination as per UN Security Council resolutions, and it continues to call for an end to India’s oppressive policies in the occupied territory.
