Yasin Malik

Yasin Malik (born 1963) is the chairman of one of the two factions of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, the chairman for other faction is Farooq Siddiqi (Farooq Papa). Kashmir watchers think that Yasin Malik's shifting policy of seeking an internal solution with India after its alleged secret meeting with the Prime Minister of India led to the secession of its senior leaders, (see Praveen Swami; PMO in secret talks with secessionists). Farooq Papa is considered to be a hard liner ideologically.The organisation, Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front split in two after the senior leaders of the party disagreed with his policy of dealing Kashmir issue on bilateral level with India on the basis as was done in Nagaland. 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, Pakistan and in 1987 in Indian-administered Kashmir (Jammu and Kashmir) which shows it essential foreign origin. He started his movement for separation of Jammu & Kashmir from secular India as an Islamic Nation of Darul Islam while silent on freedom of Pakistan-administered Kashmir. He spent almost 6 years of his life in jail and in interrogations. Yasin Malik originally came to prominence as a Militant Area Commander under the chief commander of Ishfaq Wani of JKLF who was killed in an encounter with Indian army. In 1994, Yasin Malik renounced violence after he was released from jail and thenceforth, he and his organization called for a peaceful method to come to a settlement on the Kashmir Conflict. He supports the return of Kashmiri Hindus back to the valley