Centre names 23 Pakistan-based Jaish, Lashkar operatives as terrorists under UAPA

The Ministry of Home Affairs designated 23 individuals based in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir as terrorists under Section 35 of the Unlawf...

What Happened

The Ministry of Home Affairs designated 23 individuals based in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir as terrorists under Section 35 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967, adding them to the Fourth Schedule.
The 23 individuals are affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), Al-Qaeda, and ISIS — all Pakistan-based or Pakistan-facilitated terror outfits.
Of the 23 designated, 17 are Pakistani nationals and 6 are Indian nationals; all currently operate from Pakistan or Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The designation enables Indian agencies to freeze assets, restrict arms dealings, and impose movement restrictions on the listed individuals without requiring a criminal conviction.
With this notification, the cumulative total of individuals designated as terrorists under UAPA stands at 80.

Static Topic Bridges

Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 — Individual Terrorist Designation

The UAPA was enacted on December 30, 1967, originally to address secessionist and anti-national activities; its anti-terror provisions were substantially strengthened by amendments in 2004, 2008, and 2019. The most consequential change for individual designations came through the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act, 2019.

Before 2019: Only organisations could be designated as terrorist entities; the government had no provision to designate individuals as terrorists.
2019 Amendment (Section 35): Empowered the Central Government to add an individual's name to the Fourth Schedule, thereby designating that person a "terrorist" by executive order — without a court verdict.
Section 35 governs amendments to the Schedules of UAPA; the Fourth Schedule specifically lists designated individual terrorists.
Consequences of designation: Asset freezing, prohibition of financial dealings, restriction on arms transactions, travel restrictions, and reputational/diplomatic signalling.
No automatic conviction: The designation does not constitute a criminal conviction or penalty in itself; it is an executive/administrative measure.
Review mechanism: A designated individual can apply to the Central Government for review; if refused, can appeal to a High Court.
Challenged in Supreme Court: Constitutional validity of the 2019 amendment was challenged (Sajal Awasthi v. Union of India); the Supreme Court issued notice to the Union Government in September 2019. Critics argue it violates due process, right to reputation, and is prone to misuse.

Connection to this news: The July 2026 notification is an exercise of this 2019-amendment power under Section 35, adding 23 names to the Fourth Schedule — bringing the total designated individual terrorists to 80.

Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) — Pakistan-Based Terror Outfits

Both JeM and LeT are designated terrorist organisations by India (under UAPA's Second Schedule), the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the United States, the European Union, and other multilateral bodies.

Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM): Founded in 2000 by Maulana Masood Azhar (released in the IC-814 Kandahar hijack prisoner exchange); responsible for the 2001 Indian Parliament attack and 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing; headquartered in Bahawalpur, Pakistan.
Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT): Founded by Hafiz Muhammad Saeed (designated global terrorist by UNSC and US); responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks; operates through front organisations Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF).
Hafiz Khalid Waleed (among the 23 newly designated): son-in-law of Hafiz Muhammad Saeed; member of LeT's Central Advisory Committee since 2003; designated a global terrorist by the US in August 2012; identified as mastermind of the June 2016 Pampore attack.
Mohammad Musaddiq (alias: Doctor, Abdul Mannan): JeM operative who conducted reconnaissance of the Ram Janmabhoomi complex in Ayodhya, the RSS headquarters in Nagpur, and the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) refinery in Panipat; also serves as launching commander for the Lasiyakot sector, facilitating infiltration through tunnels and drone-based arms drops.

Connection to this news: The 23 newly designated individuals are senior operatives, launching commanders, financial coordinators, and recruiters from JeM and LeT — the designation is aimed at dismantling the operational and financial ecosystem of these organisations that continues to function from Pakistani soil.

India's Counter-Terror Designation Framework — Domestic and International Dimensions

India's individual terrorist designation mechanism under UAPA mirrors similar frameworks in the US (Executive Order 13224), UK (Counter-Terrorism Act 2008), UN (UNSC Resolution 1267/1373 regime), and FATF's counter-terror financing standards.

UNSC 1267 Committee: Lists individuals and entities associated with Al-Qaeda and Taliban; India has repeatedly sought listings for JeM/LeT operatives through this channel, often facing veto-threats from Pakistan's allies.
FATF (Financial Action Task Force): Pakistan was placed on FATF's "Grey List" in 2018 and removed in October 2022 after enacting counter-terror financing reforms; designations by Pakistan remain contested internationally.
Section 51A UAPA: Empowers the Central Government to freeze funds and financial assets of individuals listed under UNSC orders — complementary to the domestic designation power.
Diplomatic use: Domestic UAPA designations signal India's evidence base to international partners even when multilateral mechanisms are blocked.

Connection to this news: By designating 23 operatives domestically, India enables asset freezing, creates a legal basis for extradition requests, and builds the case internationally for stricter action against Pakistan-based terror infrastructure.

Key Facts & Data

Total designated individual terrorists under UAPA (as of July 2026): 80
Newly designated in this batch: 23
Organisations represented: Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), Al-Qaeda, ISIS
Nationality breakdown: 17 Pakistani nationals, 6 Indian nationals (all operating from Pakistan/PoJK)
UAPA enacted: December 30, 1967
Individual designation power introduced: UAPA Amendment Act, 2019 (Section 35, Fourth Schedule)
Hafiz Khalid Waleed: Son-in-law of Hafiz Muhammad Saeed; US-designated global terrorist since August 2012; member of LeT Central Advisory Committee since 2003; mastermind of June 2016 Pampore attack
Mohammad Musaddiq: JeM operative; conducted recce of Ram Janmabhoomi (Ayodhya), RSS HQ (Nagpur), IOCL refinery (Panipat)
JeM founded: 2000 by Maulana Masood Azhar
LeT founded by: Hafiz Muhammad Saeed (also designated global terrorist by UNSC)
2008 Mumbai attacks: Perpetrated by LeT operatives
2019 Pulwama attack: Carried out by JeM