The government of India has imposed a five-year ban on the Awami Action Committee (AAC), led by prominent Kashmiri cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and the Jammu and Kashmir Ittihadul Muslimeen (JKIM), headed by Shia leader Masroor Abbas Ansari. The organisations were accused of engaging in “anti-India activities, supporting militancy, and promoting secessionist agendas”.
The decision sparked strong criticism from the ruling National Conference and the PDP. With this prohibition, the People’s Conference, led by Bilal Lone, remains the only constituent of the moderate Hurriyat Conference not banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The ban on AAC and JKIM is set for five years, but the decision can be challenged before a Tribunal established by the government.
Home Minister Amit Shah, in a post on X stated that both organisations were found to be inciting unrest and threatening the unity and integrity of the country. “Anyone engaged in activities that disrupt national peace, order, and sovereignty will face the decisive action of the Modi government,” he wrote.
Reacting to the ban, the AAC strongly condemned the decision, describing it as part of a broader strategy of intimidation and disempowerment pursued in Jammu and Kashmir since August 2019. The group asserted that while force might suppress voices, it could not silence the truth.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also took to X, reaffirming that the AAC has always represented the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir through non-violent and democratic means, advocating for a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue through dialogue and discussion.
