Evajzp at 17:04, 28 January 2026

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{{Short description|Kashmiri political activist and founder of London-based World Kashmir Freedom Movement}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ayyub Thakur
| birth_date = {{birth date text|1948}}
| birth_place = [[Shopian]], [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]], [[India]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|2004|3|10|1948|mf=yes}}
| death_place = [[London]], United Kingdom
| image = Dr. Ayub Thakur.jpg
| caption =
| native_name_lang =
| movement = [[Jammu and Kashmir insurgency]]
| children = [[Muzzammil Ayyub Thakur]]
| alma_mater = [[University of Kashmir]]
([[PhD]] in [[Nuclear Physics]])
| organization = World Kashmir Freedom Movement, Justice Foundation, Mercy Universal
| known_for =
}}

'''Muhammad Ayyub Thakur''' (1948 – 10 March 2004<ref name="dies">{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/mar/10jk3.htm|title=Kashmiri separatist Ayyub Thakur dies|date=10 March 2004|work=Rediff.com|accessdate=2009-04-08}}</ref>) was a political activist and founder of London-based World Kashmir Freedom Movement (WKFM). He also founded a charity organization called 'Mercy Universal'. In 2011, according to a report by [[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]], It was a front group for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8648589/Pakistani-spies-operating-in-Britain.html|title=Pakistani spies 'operating in Britain'|work=The Telegraph|date=19 July 2011|accessdate=31 July 2015|first=Duncan|last=Gardham}}</ref> After investigatation by the British [[Charity Commission]], [[Scotland Yard]] and the FBI, it was stated that his organization had direct contacts with [[Hizbul Mujahideen]], an EU-Sanctioned insurgent organization.

In 2001, Indian Government had booked him under [[Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act]] for providing financing & logistical support to terrorists.<ref name="Hawala">{{cite news|url=http://www.milligazette.com/Archives/15082002/1508200258.htm|title=Clueless investigators, subverted state|work=The Milli Gazette|accessdate=2006-01-02}}</ref>

His son Muzammil Ayub Thakur is an active representative member of the UK based NGO<ref>{{Cite web|title=Join the Global Digital Rally for Kashmir|url=https://www.justiceforall.org/kashmirrally/|access-date=2020-10-30|website=Justice For All|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Early life==
Thakur was born in 1948 in a farming family in Pudsoo village in district [[Shopian district|Shopian]] in [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]]. He was the eldest of four children.<ref name="dynamic">{{cite news|url=http://www.aljazeerah.info/Opinion+editorials/2004+opinions/March/15+o/Kashmiri+Leader+Ayub+Thakur,+a+Dynamic+Personality+Kashmir+Watch.htm|title=Kashmiri Leader Ayub Thakur, a Dynamic Personality ... Died in London|last=Bhat|first=Abdul Latif|date=15 March 2004|publisher=Al-Jazeera|accessdate=2009-04-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041015034509/http://www.aljazeerah.info/Opinion%20editorials/2004%20opinions/March/15%20o/Kashmiri%20Leader%20Ayub%20Thakur%2C%20a%20Dynamic%20Personality%20Kashmir%20Watch.htm|archive-date=15 October 2004|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
Thakur obtained his Doctorate (Phd.) in [[Nuclear Physics]] from the [[University of Kashmir]].

== Career ==
{{Expand section|date=January 2022}}
In 1978, after a brief stint at the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre (Zakoora, Srinagar),<ref name="kashmirtimes">{{cite web|url=http://www.jammukashmir.eclipse.co.uk/who'swho.htm|title=Kashmir Times profile of Thakur |last=Hussain|first=Massod|date=15 August 2000|work=Kashmir Times|accessdate=2009-04-14}}</ref> he became lecturer in the Department of [[Physics]] in the University of Kashmir. He had a keen interest in the social and political issues of Jammu and Kashmir.<ref name="dynamic" />

After becoming lecturer at the [[University of Kashmir]] he intensified his subversive political activities. He began organising protests.{{Citation needed|date=January 2022}} In August 1980, he and many of his colleagues at university and students organisation, Islami Jamiat-i-Talaba, organised an international conference on the issue of right of [[self-determination]] of Kashmiris. the government banned the conference, dismissed Thakur from his job as a university lecturer, and later imprisoned him along with his colleagues under Public Safety Act (PSA).<ref name="Salute">{{cite web|last=Fai|first=Ghulam Nabi|date=24 May 2001|title=A Salute to A Kashmiri Colossus|url=http://www.mediamonitors.net/fai5.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071107092932/https://www.mediamonitors.net/fai5.html|archive-date=7 November 2007|publisher=Media Monitors Network}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=January 2022}}

In 1981, Thakur joined the Nuclear Engineering Department of [[King Abdulaziz University]], [[Jeddah]] in [[Saudi Arabia]] as a lecturer.<ref name="dynamic" />

==World Kashmir Freedom Movement==
WKFM, along with other two organisations founded by Thakur were investigated by [[Scotland Yard]], the [[Charity Commission]] and [[FBI]] for ties to the [[Pakistan Armed Forces|Pakistan Military]] and Militant groups active in Jammu and Kashmir. The outcome of these investigations were unable to implicate any ties to [[Inter-Services Intelligence|ISI]] for funding these organizations.

==Impounding of Indian Passport and demand for extradition==
Upon the revelation of his ties to militant groups, Indian government twice sought his extradition from the UK in 1992 and 1993. After its failure, they finally impounded his passport in 1993. Thakur subsequently obtained British travel papers which he used until his death in 2004.

During the visit of British Home Secretary [[Jack Straw]] to India in May 2002, Indian Deputy Prime Minister, [[Lal Krishna Advani|LK Advani]] again demanded extradition of thakur citing him being accused of providing funds to the terrorists in [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]]. Advani also demanded the arrest of Thakur under the [[Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001|UK's New anti-terrorist laws]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/02aug17/edit.htm#5 |title=Is London pro-Ayyub Thakur? |last=B L Kak |date=17 August 2002 |work=Daily Excelsior |accessdate=2009-04-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021115101653/http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/02aug17/edit.htm |archive-date=2002-11-15 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/news/week-in-review/56880/0|title=INDO-UK TIES|date=25 August 2002|work=The Financial Express|accessdate=2009-04-08}}</ref>

==Family Members Allegedly Harassed==
Ayub regularly claimed that his family members, relatives and friends were subjected to house raids, torture and harassment by the Indian army [citation needed]. He often claimed that his ancestral home in Kashmir was raided many a time and his parents threatened.<ref name="dynamic" />

==Death==
Thakur died at the age of 55, in London on 10 March 2004 after an illness.<ref name="dies" /> He was suffering from pulmonary fibrosis.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org/prominent.htm |title=Prominent People who have died from Pulmonary Fibrosis |publisher=Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, Colorado |accessdate=2009-04-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081029050612/http://www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org/prominent.htm |archive-date=29 October 2008 }}</ref> His funeral was held at the London Central Mosque, Regent Park, and he was laid to rest at the Garden of Peace, in Greenford, West London, close to where he had been living for many years.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://pakistantimes.net/2004/03/11/top3.htm |title=Kashmiri Veteran Dr Ayyub Thakur Expires |last=Bajwa |first=Azmat |work=Pakistan Times |accessdate=2009-04-08 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080502215609/http://pakistantimes.net/2004/03/11/top3.htm |archive-date=2008-05-02 }}</ref> The Indian Government, having stripped him of his citizenship in 1993, dismissed a request by his family that he be buried in Jammu and Kashmir. He is survived by his wife, a son and two daughters.

==See also==
* [[Syed Ali Shah Geelani]]
* [[Jihad|Islamic Jihad]]
* [[Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir]]

== Notes and references ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.mercyuniversal.com Mercy Universal - a relief agency working in some of the most deprived areas of the world.]
* [http://www.justicefoundation.co.uk The Justice Foundation – Kashmir Centre in London]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090407043558/http://www.kashmiri-cc.ca/ Kashmiri - Canadian Council]
* [http://www.kashmircentre.org Kashmir Centre.EU]

{{Jammu and Kashmir freedom movement}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thakur, Ayub}}
[[Category:Kashmiri politicians]]
[[Category:University of Kashmir alumni]]
[[Category:Kashmir separatist movement]]
[[Category:Politicians from Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:1948 births]]
[[Category:2004 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Shopian]]
[[Category:Kashmiri Islamists]]
[[Category:People charged with terrorism]]
[[Category:Fugitives wanted on terrorism charges]]
[[Category:Fugitives wanted by India]]
[[Category:People who lost Indian citizenship]]
[[Category:Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Kashmiri independence activists]]

Ayub Thakur - Revision history

Evajzp at 17:04, 28 January 2026