India Lists 23 Pakistanis as Terrorists Under Anti-Terror Law
India’s Ministry of Home Affairs has officially designated 23 Pakistani nationals as terrorists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. According to the ministry, these individuals have connections with armed groups including Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
India’s PTI news agency reported that three of the newly listed individuals are close associates of Hafiz Saeed, the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba, who was previously accused of involvement in the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed over 160 people and injured hundreds more.
Following amendments made in August 2019, India’s anti-terrorism law now allows for the official listing of individuals, not just organizations, as terrorists. Prior to this, only organizations were covered under the law.
Being listed as a terrorist empowers Indian security and investigative agencies to seize the individuals’ assets, block their financial resources, and impose restrictions including sanctions related to the trade of weapons.
The Hindustan Times reported that with the addition of these 23 people, the total number of individuals listed as terrorists in India has reached 80. The Pakistani government has not yet responded to this development.
