SUMMARY
JKLF (The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front) is a paramilitary insurgent group fighting for the creation of an independent Jammu and Kashmir, currently a disputed area between Pakistan and India. Created in 1977 in Indian Kashmir, JKLF is a relatively secular organization, claiming Kashmirs independence on the basis of ethnic nationalism rather than religious, Islamic fundamentalism, and accepting the existence of a Hindu population within Jammu and Kashmir. During the 1980s, JKLF was probably the largest of the Kashmiri insurgent groups, being the main Kashmiri force engaging the Government of India. However, this lead started to erode as a number of alternative groups, many Islamic in orientation, were set up and gained prominence in the late 1980s. Throughout the 1980s, JKLF received at least some support from Pakistan, most probably sanctuary, weaponry and equipment. This support decreased significantly in the early 1990s, when Pakistan began aiding alternative groups.
In 1993, JKLF, together with a number of Kashmiri political parties, smaller insurgent groups and civil society actors formed the All Party Hurryat Conference, an umbrella organization providing a common platform for all pro-Independence, relatively moderate groups within Kashmir. Such an umbrella organization was necessary, as throughout the 1990s, JKLF was involved in fighting not only the Government of India, but also a group of radical Islamist, pro-unification with Pakistan groups, such as HuM (Hizb-ul Mujahideen). These latter groups, endowed with higher levels of support from Pakistan, gained significant strength and began contesting JKLFs leadership of the Kashmiri independence movement.
A significant moment in the history of the group came in 1995, when JKLF splintered in two factions. One, led by Yasin Malik, pledged to renounce violence and continue the struggle for Kashmirs independence with political means, while the other, led by Amanullah Khan, decided to continue the insurgency. The latter was quickly overrun by Indian Government forces, and forced to flee to Pakistani Kashmir. The importance of JKLF diminished significantly after 1995, due to a number of various factors, leading to the overall marginalization of JKLF in favor of Islamic extremist groups. Some of these factors were structural, such as the regional rise of Islamic fundamentalism displacing ethnic nationalism as the main ideology used to legitimize separation, while others were circumstantial, such as Pakistans support for pro-Pakistani groups (as opposed to pro-indepence ones) or the numerous arrests of Yasin Malik by the Indian Police for various offences. Similarly, the strength of the All Party Hurriyat Conference declined significantly, with multiple rifts appearing as various parties reassessed their loyalties. Further weakening of JKLF occurred after 2005, as new dissenting factions and splinters appeared, mostly from the Yasin Malik group.
The founder and initial leader of the group was Amanullah Khan, who continues to lead one of the factions. Yasin Malik was another important leader of the organization, and currently leads another JKLF splinter group.
While JKLF has fragmented significantly after 1995, it was well organized during its 1980s and early 1990s heyday and had significant presence both within Jammu and Kashmir as well as within the Kashmiri diaspora.
JKLF has been involved in the state-based (where they are included in the broader grouping "Kashmir Insurgents") and non-state categories of UCDP organised violence.
