Who is Ghulam Nabi Fai, the ‘Pakistan Agent’ And Now A Proclaimed Offender?

The Special Judge of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Court in Budgam has declared Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, a US citizen of Kashmiri origin, a proclaimed offender in connection with a case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Dr. Fai, a native of Wadwan in Budgam district, is accused in FIR No. 46 of 2020, registered at Budgam Police Station under Sections 10, 13, and 39 of the UAPA. Despite repeated summons and multiple warrants issued against him, Fai has consistently evaded arrest and never cooperated with the investigators.

On April 30, 2025, the Special Judge accepted a plea from the Budgam Police seeking proclamation proceedings against the accused. In its ruling, the court directed Fai to surrender before the Jammu and Kashmir Police within 30 days.

Who is Ghulam Nabi Fai?

Ghulam Nabi Fai, currently hiding in the United States, has long been under the scanner for his alleged links to anti-India propaganda campaigns. 

Fai, who previously headed the Kashmiri American Council (KAC) and portrayed himself as a human rights activist campaigning for the Kashmiris, later got exposed as a covert operative for Pakistan 's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). He was arrested by the FBI in 2011 and later convicted and sentenced to two years in prison and three years of supervised release on charges of being an ISI agent who lobbied for the Pakistani spy agency and Pakistan Army on the Kashmir issue in the US. Reportedly, Fai had received millions of dollars for his role. He was released from jail with a condition that he won't contact Pakistani government or ISI officials.

Fai, who is married to a Chinese-American, led public demonstrations, particularly outside the United Nations, to promote Pakistan's narrative on Kashmir. As per reports, he used to send drafts, lobbying strategies, and agendas to Pakistan’s spy agency operating under the guise of academic and human rights platforms.

Ghulam Nabi Fai's Anti-India Propaganda

During court proceedings, Ghulam Nabi Fai had also admitted that KAC received at least $3.5 million from Pakistani government sources between 1990 and 2011 to influence US policy on Kashmir. According to reports, in the year 2000 alone, Fai received around Rs 3 crore - including Rs 60 lakh for US Congress members, Rs 1.20 crore for organising conferences, Rs 35 lakh for media relations and Rs 18 lakh for organising Congress members’ trip to Kashmir. In 2001, the budget was revised to $455,000, $490,000 for 2005 and $719,000 for 2006, reports further revealed.

His Links With ‘Kashmir Centers’

The FBI investigation revealed that KAC was one of three ‘Kashmir Centers’ run by Pakistani intelligence agencies, the other two being based in London and Brussels. These outfits operated as frontrunners to spread Islamabad's anti-India narrative internationally.