Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front

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The Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), founded by Amanullah Khan and Maqbool Bhat, is a Kashmiri nationalist organization founded in Birmingham, UK on May 29, 1977. Within a couple of years branches were established in several cities and towns of the UK; and also in several countries of Europe, USA and Middle East. In 1982 branches were established in Pakistan-administered Kashmir (Azad Kashmir) and Pakistan and in 1987 in Indian-administered Kashmir (Jammu & Kashmir).

JKLF seeks the liberation of the Indian segments of the former Dogra kingdom of Jammu & Kashmir, as it existed prior to August 1947. The JKLF claims that they are not Islamist, but are nationalist, and oppose a merger of the territories into either Pakistan or India. Among its major acts of violence are the kidnapping and killing of the Indian diplomat Ravindra Mhatre in London in 1984, and several cases of aircraft hijacking and kidnapping during the 1980s.

[edit] Splits and Reunification

According to International Peace Academy researcher Cyrus Samii the group split into two factions after the JKLF faction that was based in IJK led by Yasin Malik Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (Yasin Malik) publicly renounced violence in 1995 . His counterpart in Azzad Jammu and Kashmir: Amanullah Khan Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (Amanullah Khan) refused to renounce violence and a split between the parties followed (see also website JKLFworld: introduction [1] )^{[citation needed]}

In 2005 India allowed Yasin Malik to visit Pakistan for the first time. The two leaders, Malik and Khan seized the opportunity to meet each other in Pakistan. In June 2005, a decade after the split Malik and Khan agreed to reunite the JKLF.The unification of JKLF was started by Farooq Papa while Yasin Malik visit to US but did not mature as conditions by both sides were not excepted [2].

However in December 2005 most of the senior members of the JKLF separated from yasin Malik and formed a new JKLF with Farooq Siddiqi(Farooq papa) as its Chairman along with Javed Mir, Salim Nannaji and Iqbal Gundroo later joined by the longest(16 years) imprisoned Kashmiri former militant Bitta Karate. Kashmir watchers think that the Yasin Malik`s shifting policy of seeking an internal solution with India after its alleged secret meeting with Prime Minister of India led to the secession of its senior leaders, see Praveen Swami; PMO in secret talks with secessionists; The Hindu 25 January 2006; [3]and [4] Farooq Papa is considered to be a hard liner ideologicaly. Since 1995, Yasin Malik has renounced violence and calls for strictly peaceful methods to come to a settlement on the Kashmir issue.^[1] Yasin Malik also considers the Hindu Kashmiris to be an integral part of Kashmiri society and has insisted on their right of return.^[2]

Amanullah Khan continues to espouse violence as means to liberate Kashmir.^[3]