Masterminds of Pathankot, Pulwama attack designated as terrorists under UAPA

The Union home ministry has designated Jaish-e-Mohammad’s Ali Kashif Jan and Mohiuddin Aurangzeb Alamgir as terrorists under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Ali Kashif Jan alias Jan Ali Kashif, the JeM’s operational commander and part of its core planning committee, was the mastermind of the 2016 Pathankot air force station terror attack. He is a resident of Charsadda in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to a charge sheet filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Jan was in continuous touch with terrorists over the phone even as the attack at the air force station was underway. He has also been accused in various cases that are being registered and investigated by the NIA.

The home ministry said in its notification on Monday that Jan continues to operate from the JeM launching detachments in Pakistan. The ministry added that Jain is also involved in the recruitment of cadres for their training and coordinate attack plans at targets in India.

On the other hand, Mohiuddin Aurangzeb Alamgir alias Mujahid Bhai is a senior member of the JeM and was involved in the 2019 Pulwama attack, where 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed. He is a resident of Pakistan’s Bahawalpur and is the brother of JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar.

“He (Alamgir) is involved in anti-India terror activities on behalf of Jaish-e-Mohammad. He looks after JeM’s fund collection activities from Pakistani nationals and routing the said fund to Kashmir in India,” the home ministry’s notification on Monday read.

The ministry added that Alamgir was involved in the facilitation of Afghan cadres and coordinating terror attacks on security forces in Kashmir.