Pakistan on Wednesday denounced the decision by India to declare the 'Awami Action Committee' and 'Jammu and Kashmir Ittihad-ul-Muslimeen' as 'Unlawful Association' for five years.
Last year, the Indian authorities had declared several political parties as "unlawful associations" as well, bringing the total of banned political parties to 14 in the occupied region. The decision was denounced by the FO at the time as well.
The 'Awami Action Committee' is led by a prominent political and religious leader, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. The 'Jammu and Kashmir Ittihad-ul-Muslimeen' was also founded by another notable political and religious leader, Maulana Mohammad Abbas Ansari, who headed it till his demise in 2022.
The recent decision increases the total number of outlawed Kashmiri political parties and organizations to 16, Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said in a statement.
"Banning of different political parties and organizations is yet another manifestation of the Indian authorities' iron-fisted approach in the IIOJK. It reflects a desire to suppress the political activities and stifle dissent. It also shows sheer disregard of democratic norms and international human rights law," he remarked.
The spokesperson urged the Indian government to remove the curbs on the Kashmiri political parties; release all the political prisoners; and faithfully implement the UN Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir.
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