Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 27: Former members of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) today launched a new political party, the Jammu and Kashmir Justice and Development Front (JDF), positioning it as a mainstream political force in the region.
The launch, initially planned as a major event at SKICC, was scaled down to a low-key press conference due to the prevailing national mourning following the April 22 Pahalgam attack, where 26 civilians, including a local resident, were killed during a visit to the Baisaran meadow.
The announcement was made at the party’s new headquarters in Nowgam, Srinagar, with leaders calling it “a new beginning dedicated to justice, progress, and empowerment.”
They said the JDF was formed after careful deliberations on the political needs and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “Today is not just the launch of a new political party; it is the launch of new hope for the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” a senior leader said. The party pledged to focus on education, healthcare, youth employment, and community empowerment, while committing to non-violence, democracy, and inclusive development.
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Shamim Ahmad Thoker, the JDF’s first president, condemned the Pahalgam massacre and expressed concern over the subsequent harassment of Kashmiri civilians across different States. “What we see today in Kashmir-the process that is unfolding-needs to be condemned,” Thoker said. He said that while targeting the homes of those involved in such incidents is justified, demolishing the houses of innocents is deeply troubling.
Thoker urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to review the current approach. “The Prime Minister’s slogan has been clear: punish the guilty but protect the innocent. We appeal for a review to ensure that women and children are not caught in the fallout,” he said. Thoker also condemned efforts to divide people along religious lines.
The JDF leaders said the party would contest all future elections and aims to fill the political vacuum left after JeI was banned in 2019. JeI was outlawed following the Pulwama suicide bombing that killed 40 CRPF personnel and heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.
Prominent former JeI leaders, including ex-general secretary Ghulam Qadir and Sayar Reshi-who contested the 2024 assembly elections as Independents-were also present at the launch.
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