Yasin Malik, prominent Kashmir separatist, alleged to be associated with Indian intelligence, raising questions about his political affiliations.
For over three decades, Yasin Malik has established himself as a prominent pro-freedom leader from Indian-administered Kashmir. Initially recognized for his involvement in the armed struggle for Kashmir’s independence from India in the late 1980s, Malik transitioned to advocating for peaceful resistance. Currently, he is serving a life sentence in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail, a figure viewed unfavorably by many Indian security services while being often misunderstood by Pakistan, which has faced accusations of supporting militant activities in Kashmir.
In late August, an affidavit filed by Malik in the Delhi High Court has captured significant attention across India. This document makes a series of claims that challenge the prevailing narrative regarding his long-standing role as a separatist and the Indian state’s engagement with the Kashmir conflict, an issue that also involves Pakistan.
Central to Malik’s startling assertions is a provocative question: Was he an Indian intelligence asset all along? In his detailed 84-page affidavit, Malik alleges that since the 1990s, during the peak of the armed uprising in Kashmir, he engaged with high-ranking Indian officials in an effort to foster conflict resolution. He claims to have met with several Indian prime ministers, members of the intelligence community, and even representatives from the far-right Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), asserting that these meetings were part of a sanctioned back-channel diplomacy aimed at peacebuilding in the region.
Malik’s journey began in the Maisuma neighborhood of Srinagar, where he was first motivated to take action following accusations of electoral manipulation in the 1987 local elections. This fuelled his transition from a polling agent to a key player in the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), a rebel group. His views on Kashmir’s future eventually diverged from those of Pakistan as he advocated for the region’s independence rather than its merger with the neighboring Muslim-majority country.
Malik’s life took a drastic turn in 2019, following a tragic attack that claimed the lives of Indian soldiers in Pulwama. Consequently, he was arrested, and his group was designated as an unlawful organization. The reopening of several long-standing cases against him led to significant scrutiny, as he faced severe charges that included kidnapping and receiving funds for unrest.
His recent affidavit, which was a response to a plea from the National Investigation Agency seeking to elevate his sentence from life imprisonment to the death penalty, presents a narrative of betrayal by the Indian state. Malik argues that despite maintaining a public persona of a steadfast separatist, he had, for years, engaged in effective communication with various Indian governments. He claims these interactions were rooted in a tacit understanding that as long as he pursued a nonviolent path, serious charges against him would be sidelined.
Through this disclosure, Malik hopes to illustrate the complexity of the situation and humanize his struggle while shedding light on the intricate relationship between him and Indian authorities over the past few decades. His assertion that he sought to prevent unrest during significant uprisings, and that he participated in back-channel discussions with business leaders, further complicates the existing narratives surrounding Kashmir’s deeply rooted conflicts.
As Malik’s story continues to unfold, calls for compassion regarding his situation have emerged, emphasizing the need for understanding and reconciliation in Kashmir—an area that remains pivotal to discussions around peace in South Asia.
#MiddleEastNews #PoliticsNews
