The Union Home Ministry on Friday declared the newly floated "Jammu & Kashmir Ghaznavi Force" as a "terrorist organization" under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act-1967.
In a notification, the MHA has listed the "Jammu and Kashmir Ghaznavi Force" in the first schedule of the UAPA law containing the list of such organizations.
The MHA said the "Jammu and Kashmir Ghaznavi Force (JKGF)" surfaced in the year 2020 as a terrorist outfit and it draws its cadres from various proscribed terrorist organizations, such as Lashker-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen, Harkat-ul—Jehad-e-Islami, etc.
In furtherance of India's Zero tolerance policy towards terrorism, the Central Government amended the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in August 2019 to include the provision of designating an individual as a terrorist. Before this amendment, only organizations could be designated as a terrorist organizations.
By invoking the said amended provision, the Central Government had designated 53 individuals as terrorists.
"Reinforcing the commitment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to strengthen national security and combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, the Ministry of Home Affairs under the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah today declared one more organization as Terrorist Organization", official statement reads.
Ghaznavi Force is involved in narco-terrorism
"The "Jammu and Kashmir Ghaznavi Force (JKGF)" is involved in infiltration bids, narcotics and weapon smuggling and carrying out terror attacks in the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir," the MHA said.
According to the MHA, JKGF regularly issues threats to Indian security forces and uses various social media platforms for inciting people of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir to join terrorist outfits against India.
Designation of Organisations/individuals as ‘Terrorist Organization’/ ‘Terrorist’ under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA)
— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) February 17, 2023
Press Release- https://t.co/L9aAoHiCCs pic.twitter.com/ugeTB8nqla
"The activities of "Jammu and Kashmir Ghaznavi Force (JKGF)" are detrimental to the national security and sovereignty of India," the MHA said, adding that the Central Government believes that the "Jammu and Kashmir Ghaznavi Force (JKGF)" is involved in terrorism and it has committed and participated in various acts of terrorism in India.
With the addition of JKGF, the number of organizations declared as terrorist organizations have gone up to 43.
Under the UAPA law, the Centre also designates individuals involved in subversive and violent activities as terrorists.
