MHA declares 23 more individuals as terrorists under UAPA

📌 Summary:

• Ministry of Home Affairs designated 23 more individuals as 'terrorists' under Section 35 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, listing them in its Fourth Schedule
• Of the 23: 17 are Pakistani nationals and 6 Indian nationals — all currently operating from Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir; several affiliated with banned organisations such as Jaish-e-Mohammed
• They are involved in terror attacks, arms trafficking, cross-border infiltration, fundraising, facilitating terror organisations and recruiting youth (including via social media)
• After the 2019 UAPA amendment enabled designation of individuals, 57 persons had been designated so far; this order takes the total to 80
• Designation curbs their financial networks, movement and recruitment capabilities, and enables coordinated legal, investigative and preventive action at national and international levels — part of the 'Zero Tolerance Policy' against terrorism

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 — terrorism and state/non-state actors, legal-institutional framework against terror financing and cross-border terrorism.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• UAPA Amendment 2019 empowered the Centre to designate individuals (not just organisations) as terrorists
• Individual designation: Section 35, listed in the Fourth Schedule of UAPA
• 57 individuals designated before this order; 23 added now (17 Pakistani, 6 Indian nationals)

🔑 Key Term: Fourth Schedule of UAPA — the schedule of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 that lists individuals designated as terrorists by the Central Government under Section 35.