Islamabad, March 12, 2025: Pakistan has strongly condemned India’s decision to classify two prominent organisations in Indian-occupied Kashmir as “unlawful associations” for five years.
The Awami Action Committee (AAC), led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, a key figure in the Kashmiri resistance movement, and the Jammu and Kashmir Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (JKIM), previously headed by the late Maulana Mohammad Abbas Ansari until his passing in 2022, have been outlawed under Indian law. This decision brings the total number of banned political parties and organisations in the region to 16.
In an official statement, Pakistan denounced the move, calling it an attempt to suppress political activism and silence voices of dissent in the region. “Pakistan condemns the Indian authorities’ decision to declare the AAC and JKIM as ‘unlawful associations’ for a period of five years,” the statement read.
The statement further underscored that both organisations have been central to Kashmir’s political and religious landscape for decades. “The AAC is led by a prominent political and religious leader, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, while the JKIM was founded by another distinguished leader, Maulana Mohammad Abbas Ansari, who headed it until his demise in 2022.”
Pakistan criticized the ban as a blatant disregard for democratic values and international human rights standards, reaffirming its support for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.
Earlier this month, Pakistan also rejected remarks made by Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who referred to Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) as “stolen” and under “illegal Pakistani occupation.” Pakistan dismissed these claims as baseless, reiterating its stance that Kashmir remains an internationally recognized dispute that must be resolved through dialogue and in accordance with UN resolutions.
