India Designates 23 JeM and LeT Operatives as Terrorists under UAPA

Key Facts

• Date of designation: 4 July 2026
• Number of operatives designated: 23
• Groups involved: Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)
• Relevant legislation: Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA), Section 35
• Designation mechanism: Addition to Fourth Schedule of UAPA
• Notable named operatives: Masood Ilyas Kashmiri, Mohammad Mussadiq (alias Doctor), Mufti Muhammad Asghar Khan (alias Abu Saad)
• Total individuals designated as terrorists under UAPA now: 80

Background & Context

Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba are Pakistan-based terrorist organisations that are active in Jammu and Kashmir, involved in terror activities such as recruitment, infiltration, arms supply, financing, and attacks on security establishments. The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, enacted in 1967, is India's primary anti-terrorism law that provides a legal framework to designate individuals and organisations engaged in unlawful activities threatening India's security.

Under Section 35 of the UAPA, the Central Government has the authority to designate individuals as terrorists by adding their names to the Fourth Schedule. This designation empowers agencies like the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take stringent actions such as freezing assets, blocking funding sources, seizing properties, and restricting access to arms.

Why This Matters for Exams / Exam Relevance

The designation of these 23 operatives under the UAPA highlights India's ongoing legal and administrative efforts to combat terrorism especially in sensitive regions like Jammu and Kashmir. Knowledge of the UAPA, its provisions including Section 35 and the Fourth Schedule, and significant counter-terrorism measures form an important part of contemporary affairs, internal security, and legal frameworks sections of competitive examinations.

Points to Remember

• The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 is India's key counter-terrorism legislation.
• Section 35 of the UAPA empowers the Central Government to designate individuals as terrorists by adding them to the Fourth Schedule.
• The Fourth Schedule lists designated individual terrorists and is updated periodically to reflect new designations.
• Among the designated, Masood Ilyas Kashmiri is based in Rawalkot, Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
• Mohammad Mussadiq (alias Doctor) is involved with infiltration operations and drone-based arms supply across the India-Pakistan border.
• Mufti Muhammad Asghar Khan (alias Abu Saad) is linked to the 29 November 2016 attack on an Indian Army camp in Nagrota, Jammu.
• The designation enables agencies like the NIA to take measures such as freezing assets, blocking funding channels, and seizing properties.
• Out of the 23 designated operatives, 11 are originally from Jammu and Kashmir—including 7 in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and 4 in Pakistan; the rest are Pakistani nationals.