Centre bans Jaish-e-Mohammed's proxy outfit 'PAFF'

The MHA said the PAFF is indulging in radicalisation of 'impressionable youth for the purpose of recruitment and training in handling guns, ammunitions and explosives'

A day after banning an LeT proxy outfit, the government has banned a proxy outfit of Jaish-e-Mohammed -- People's Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF) -- for indulging in terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere and radicalising youth for such acts.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has also designated Arbaz Ahmad Mir, a Lashkar-e-Taiba member, as an individual terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

According to a notification issued on Friday night, the MHA said PAFF merged in 2019 as a proxy outfit of JeM and has been regularly issuing threats to security forces, political leaders and civilians working in Jammu-Kashmir from other states.

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Along with other terror outfits, the notification said, the PAFF is involved in conspiring proactively physically and on social media to undertake violent terrorist acts in Jammu-Kashmir and other major cities in the country.

The MHA also said the PAFF is indulging in radicalisation of "impressionable youth for the purpose of recruitment and training in handling guns, ammunitions and explosives".

PAFF "is involved in terrorism and it has committed and participated in various acts of terrorism in India, the notification said justifying the need to ban the organisation.

In a separate notification, the MHA designated Mir, who hails from Jammu and Kashmir but is presently in Pakistan, as an individual terrorist. He is working for the banned LeT.

It said Mir is involved in target killing and has emerged as the main conspirator in killing of a woman teacher Rajni Bala in Kulgam in Jammu and Kashmir. He is also involved in coordinating terrorism in Kashmir valley and supporting terrorists by transporting illegal arms or ammunition or explosives from across the border, the notification said.