Centre designates Hizbul Mujahideen operative Asif Maqbool Dar 'terrorist' under UAPA

The Centre on Saturday, January 7, declared banned terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen operative Asif Maqbool Dar as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. 

According to the Union Home Ministry, Asif Maqbool Dar, originally belonging to Jammu and Kashmir but currently operating from Saudi Arabia, is instigating/provoking Kashmir valley youth for terrorist activities by using social media platforms.

"Dar is one of the leading radical voices on social media and involved in nefariously influencing Kashmiri youth to take up arms against Indian Government and security forces," the Home Ministry said in a statement.

Stating that Dar is involved in terrorism against India, the Home Ministry added his name in the Fourth Schedule to the UAPA. For this, the Centre has amended Schedule 4 of the UAPA and inserted Asif Maqbool Dar as the 52nd terrorist under the UAPA.

Who is Asif Maqbool Dar?

According to the Home Ministry, Dar was born to  Mohammad Maqbool Dar on December 2, 1981, and is originally a resident of Bandey Payeen village in the Wagoora Tehsil of Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla. However, the designated terrorist is presently based at Daman, in Dhahran's Ash Sharqiyah in Saudi Arabia and is associated with the banned terror organisation Hizbul Mujahideen.

Notably, as per the Home Ministry, Dar is accused in a case investigated by the National Investigating Agency (NIA) relating to the conspiracy hatched by the cadres of the terrorist organisation to undertake violent terrorist acts in Jammu and Kashmir and major cities in India including New Delhi on the direction of handlers based across the border.

It is pertinent to mention that Schedule 4 of the UAPA includes terrorists such as chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed Maulana Masood Azhar,  LeT chief Hafiz Sayeed, Dawood Ibrahim, Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and Ashiq Ahmed Nengroo. Notably, in less than a week, the Centre has added 4 terrorists to the list. 

The Centre uses clause (a) of sub-section (1) and sub-section (2) of section 35 of the UAPA Act which empowers it to add the name of an individual in the Fourth Schedule to the said Act if it believes that the person concerned is involved in terrorism.