The Union Home Ministry on Saturday designated 23 Pakistan-based operatives linked to Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and other terror outfits as individual terrorists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), according to an official order.
Under the UAPA, 1967, the Centre has the authority to designate an individual as a terrorist if it believes the person is involved in terrorist activities.
The inclusion of these individuals in the list of designated terrorists enables agencies such as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to freeze financial assets, impose restrictions on arms-related transactions and initiate the attachment or seizure of properties linked to them.
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The provision to designate individuals as terrorists was introduced through an amendment to the UAPA in 2019. Prior to the amendment, only organisations could be declared terrorist entities under the law.
On Saturday, 23 Pakistan-based terrorists, including those involved in attacks on security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, were added to the list, taking the total number to 80.
The Centre has added Jaish-e-Mohamed terrorists like Masood Ilyas Kashmiri, Mohammad Mussadiq alias Doctor, Mufti Muhammad Asghar Khan alias Abu Saad, Hafiz Abdul Shakoor alias Qari Zarrar, Abdullah Jehadi, Ghulam Fareed, Maulana Imdad Ullah Makki and Waseem Noor Jat.
Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists Firdous Ahmad Bhat, Haroon Rashid Ganai, Bilal Ahmad Mir, Abid Quyoom Lone Nazir Ahmed Gujjar, Abdul Rauf alias Hafiz Adbul Rauf, Ashfaq Ahmad, Hafiz Khalid Waleed, Maulana Saifullah Khalid, Mohammad Yaqoob, Molana Yousaf Taibi, Owais Farooz, Qari Yaqub Sheikh, Rana Iftikhar, Mohammed Shaheed Faisal (also linked to Al Qaeda and ISIS) have also been added to the list.
(with inputs from PTI)
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