Separatist Yasin Malik declares 'he's Gandhian now, gave up arms'
The chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front-Yasin (JKLF-Y), Yasin Malik, declared in his affidavit submiitted to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) tribunal that he gave up "armed struggle" in 1994. The tribunal was reviewing the ban on JKLF-Y, an organization that spearheaded armed militancy in the Kashmir Valley during the 1990s. "I gave up arms, I'm a Gandhian now," he stated in his affidavit.
Malik advocates for peaceful, independent Kashmir
Malik clarified that his decision to abandon armed struggle since 1994 was aimed at fostering a "united, independent Kashmir" through non-violent means. The UAPA tribunal recently declared JKLF-Y an "unlawful organization" for the next five years, citing its connections with top political and government figures since 1994. Currently serving a life sentence in Tihar Jail, Malik was convicted in a terror funding case.
Malik's life sentence and accusations of terrorism
He is also the prime accused in the 1990 killing of four Indian Air Force personnel in Rawalpora, Srinagar. Earlier this year, witnesses identified Malik as the main shooter in this case. In May 2022, he received an additional life sentence for a terror financing case investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Malik claims promises of peaceful resolution were broken
In his affidavit, Malik claimed that in the early 1990s, state officials assured him that the Kashmir dispute would be resolved through "meaningful dialogue." He stated he was promised that if he initiated a unilateral ceasefire, all charges against him and JKLF-Y members would be dropped. However, despite giving up armed resistance in 1994, the Centre argued that Malik continued to support and support terrorism.
