The ban Mirwaiz Umar Farooq-led Jammu and Kashmir Awami Action Committee and Masroor Abbas-led Ittehadul Muslimeen  by Modi-led Indian regime has drawn strong criticism from across the aisle in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.  According to Kashmir Media Service, senior APHC leader and AAC Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq   in a statement issued in Srinagar said that the AAC was founded by his father at the peak of the Holy Relic agitation in 1964, and since then, it has firmly stood by the people of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, advocating their aspirations and rights through democratic means.  

The organization, he added, always called for peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute through dialogue and deliberation. He maintained that AAC members suffered jails and incarceration and even were martyred for raising the demand.  “This move seems part of the continuation of the policy of intimidation and disempowerment that is being followed viz-a-viz occupied Jammu and Kashmir since August 2019. The voice of truth may be suppressed through force but will not be silenced,” he added. 

Reacting to the ban, Jammu and Kashmir Ittehadul Muslimeen leader Masroor Abbas Ansari said that “coercion and restrictions do not solve problems but create further complications”.  He said JKIM has always been a pioneer in social services and its connection with the people is strong and invincible, “so this voice cannot be silenced”.  Masroor said banning will neither make any difference nor can it solve the problems and advised the authorities to “adopt a positive approach” instead of suppressing the people and their demands so that an atmosphere of peace and order can be established in the region”.

 In a tweet, Peoples Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti wrote, “Banning of Jammu and Kashmir Awami Action Committee (AAC) headed by Mirwaiz Ummer Farooq and Masroor Abbas-led Ittehadul Muslimeen (JKIM) by Indian Home Ministry is another blow to Kashmir’s social and political landscape. Suppressing dissent will only deepen tensions. Democracy is about more than elections – it’s about protecting citizens’ fundamental rights.”  

She said silencing Kashmir’s voices may serve BJP’s political agenda, but it undermines the basic fundamental rights. She advised New Delhi to reassess its approach and move away from heavy-handed tactics. National Conference General Secretary and MLA Ali Muhammad Sagar said he was disappointed to know about the banning of AAC and JKIM. “The Mirwaiz family has been torch bearers of peace, communal harmony and helped J&K to keep up with its secular credentials. Such measures do not bring any good to the situation in Kashmir,” he said in his post on X.  

Acting Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party Mehmood Ahmed Saghar in a statement in Islamabad condemning the ban said that BJP-led Indian government's continued policy of repression and human rights violation in occupied Kashmir are threatening the fundamental rights to life and liberty. The ban, he added, implemented under the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, marks yet another move by the Hindutva government against political organizations in the disputed territory.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)