Masroor Abbas Ansari

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Masroor Abbas Ansari is a Kashmiri Twelver Shia scholar, cleric, and political leader. He has been the chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Ittihadul Muslimeen (JKIM) since October 27, 2022, taking over after his father Mohammad Abbas Ansari. He is also a senior leader in the All Parties Hurriyat Conference and one of the founders of Majlis Ulema Immamia. JKIM is a Kashmiri nationalist Shia group that promotes Shia–Sunni unity and also conducts religious events such as the Ashura processions.

Early life and education
- Born on December 5, 1971, in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.
- He studied at Sri Pratap College in Srinagar and at the University of Kashmir.
- He then spent about 14 years studying at the Qom Seminary in Iran.
- He returned to Kashmir in 2004 and began his religious and political work.

Religious and community work
- Masroor Abbas Ansari is a khateeb (preacher) and Imam of Friday prayers at Majid Sajjadia in Chattabal, Srinagar.
- He has worked to uplift education in the Shia community, organizing classes and education-focused events and conferences.
- He emphasizes Islamic theology (kalam) and education as key to a strong society.
- He is a founder of Majlis Ulema Immamia, an organization of Shia clerics in Jammu and Kashmir.

Political and legal activities
- A prominent leader in the Hurriyat political movement, he has been detained several times due to the Kashmir conflict. He faced detention in July 2023 and was under house arrest in September 2019.
- He supported lifting restrictions on Muharram processions and welcomed steps to allow religious gatherings.
- In 2020, he welcomed the decision to lift a long-standing ban on Muharram processions.
- In 2023, Ashura processions were held in Srinagar, and some JKIM leaders were expelled from JKIM for joining another political party, the Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party led by Altaf Bukhari.
- In 2025, the Indian government banned JKIM as an unlawful association, along with another separatist party, Awami Action Committee.

Family
- He is the son of Mohammad Abbas Ansari and has two sons.
- His relatives include Mustafa Hussain Ansari (uncle) and Sajjad Haider Ansari (cousin).