Centre Designates 23 Pakistan-Based Operatives as Terrorists

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has formally designated 23 Pakistan-based individuals associated with Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) as terrorists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The government notification highlights the operatives' active roles in facilitating terror recruitment, managing cross-border infiltration, training cadres, and coordinating arms supply via drone networks into Jammu and Kashmir. The listed individuals are linked to several high-profile security incidents, including the 2016 Nagrota Army camp attack and the 2018 Sunjwan Military Station attack.

Security agencies identify these individuals as key nodes in complex, cross-border terror infrastructures that utilize encrypted communication and social media platforms for radicalization and recruitment. The notification specifically names close associates of Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, such as Abdul Rauf and Rana Iftikhar, alongside various JeM launching commanders operating from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. These operatives are accused of raising funds, facilitating logistics, and maintaining safe passages for foreign militants entering Indian territory.

By listing these operatives as terrorists, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) gains expanded legal authority to seize assets, freeze financial channels, and impose strict embargos on arms trade related to these entities. The move follows ongoing efforts by Indian security and intelligence agencies to dismantle the digital and physical networks supporting sustained militancy in the region. This development underscores India's commitment to systematically identifying and neutralizing the individual handlers behind persistent security threats in Jammu and Kashmir.