Srinagar, July 4 :
In a detailed statement addressing recent concerns aired by Banned Jamaat-e-Islami members, the General Secretary of the designated five-member panel on Jamaat-e-Islami Affairs, Ghulam Qadir Lone, has defended the panel’s performance and reiterated its commitment to working within constitutional and legal frameworks to lift the ban imposed on the organization in 2019.
The remarks come a day after former Jamaat leaders, Ghulam Muhammad Bhat and Muhammad Abdullah Wani, publicly questioned the effectiveness and direction of the panel.
While Addressing media, as per Kashmir News Service (KNS) correspondent, Lone said that the panel was neither self-appointed nor intended to function as a parallel structure to Jamaat-e-Islami. “This panel was formed out of necessity, with the sole aim of striving to get the ban on Jamaat lifted and helping the organization resume its traditional activities,” he said.
Responding to criticism by Ghulam Muhammad Bhat that the panel had failed in lifting the ban, Lone drew comparisons with previous Jamaat leadership. “Since the ban was enforced in 2019, three successive heads of Jamaat appeared before the Tribunal, but the outcome remained unchanged. Does that mean they failed? We don’t think so. Their efforts were sincere, albeit unsuccessful just as ours have been, he said.
Lone said that the legal battle to challenge the ban continues in the High Court but acknowledged that limited financial resources have constrained the panel’s ability to push the matter further. “We welcome individuals like Bhat Sahib to step forward and help shoulder the financial burden if they are truly committed to this cause,” he said.
The panel also expressed reservations about the potential outcome if the matter were to reach the Supreme Court, citing the recent verdict on Article 370 as an example of how higher judicial decisions may not always favor public sentiment in Jammu & Kashmir, he said.
Addressing concerns over the formation of the Justice Development Front (JDF), Lone clarified that it was not a political deviation but a strategic decision guided by the Shura to engage Jamaat sympathizers in lawful democratic processes.
The JDF was created to prevent misinterpretation of low voter turnout and to demonstrate civic responsibility, not to align with the mainstream for political gain.”
He further said that the JDF does not have a formal constitution yet, though a Vision Document has been released in the public domain.
Empowering young people to act as dignified, law-abiding citizens is essential,” Lone said. He highlighted that strengthening the GDF at grassroots levels is a crucial part of that mission, Lone Said.
Lone also acknowledged the historical significance of forming fronts, pointing to Ghulam Muhammad Bhat’s own role in reviving Jamaat post-ban in 1997, although he noted the vastly different political landscape today with Jammu & Kashmir operating as a Union Territory.
The General Secretary reaffirmed that the panel’s mandate remains temporary and purely functional. “No formal structure of Jamaat is being recreated. The panel functions within the Indian Constitution and applicable laws and will dissolve once the ban is lifted.”
He also said that the participation in the panel remains voluntary and that anyone willing to work within constitutional bounds is welcome.
Lone stressed that all panel decisions have been made with the awareness of the Jamaat’s consultative body, the Shura. However, he expressed disappointment over what he termed the “undignified tone” used by some senior figures in their recent remarks. “As former leaders, respectful discourse should be upheld,” he said.
Lone assured that the JDF and the panel would never act against the interests of the people of Jammu & Kashmir. “Our commitment is to lawful, peaceful, and constructive engagement for the welfare of all, he added.(KNS)