Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday announced that two more groups affiliated with the Hurriyat in Jammu and Kashmir have severed ties with separatism, marking another shift in the region’s political landscape.
In a post on X, Shah,described this as a significant step, stating that these groups have reposed their trust in the “New Bharat” built under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Another great news from Kashmir Valley. Two more groups affiliated with the Hurriyat, namely J&K Tahreeqi Isteqlal and J&K Tahreek-I-Istiqamat, have discarded separatism and reposed their trust in the new Bharat,” he said, emphasizing that under the Modi government, “separatism is breathing its last, and the triumph of unity is echoing across Kashmir.”
J&K Tahreeqi Isteqlal, led by Ghulam Nabi Waseem, also known as Sofi, was established in 2016 and was part of the APHC (M) faction. Sofi, a resident of Kupwara, is a retired teacher and a former member of Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI).
He was earlier associated with the J&K People’s League before forming J&K Tahreeqi Isteqlal. The group, however, was not a prominent one and remained largely unknown. Similarly, J&K Tahreek-I-Istiqamat, led by Ghulam Nabi War, was founded in 2015 and was also affiliated with the APHC (M). War, an ex-JeI member from Sopore, was previously part of the J&K National Front before forming his own group.
On March 26, 2025, he officially distanced himself and his party from any association with the APHC. Like J&K Tahreeqi Isteqlal, this group was also not widely recognized.
Their decision to sever ties with separatism is seen as another setback for the Hurriyat, aligning with the Modi government’s ongoing efforts to integrate Jammu and Kashmir into the national mainstream.
