Centre Declares 23 as Terrorists
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has designated 23 individuals as terrorists under Section 35 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), in a major step aimed at strengthening India's counter-terrorism framework. The newly notified list includes 17 Pakistani nationals and six Indian nationals, all of whom are alleged by the government to be operating from Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).
According to the MHA, the individuals are linked to banned terror outfits, including Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and are accused of involvement in terrorist attacks, cross-border infiltration, arms trafficking, recruitment of militants, raising funds and facilitating anti-India activities.
The government said the notification is part of its zero-tolerance policy against terrorism and is intended to disrupt terror networks by enabling stricter legal and financial action against the designated individuals. The UAPA empowers the Centre to notify individuals as terrorists, allowing agencies to initiate measures such as asset freezes and other legal proceedings in accordance with the law.
With the latest notification, the number of individuals designated as terrorists under the amended UAPA has increased further, reinforcing the government's ongoing efforts to curb terrorism and safeguard national security.
