Muhammad Ayyub Thakur (1948 – 10 March 2004[1]) was a political activist and founder of London-based World Kashmir Freedom Movement (WKFM).

In 1978, after a brief stint at the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre (Zakoora, Srinagar),[6] he became lecturer in the Department of Physics in the University of Kashmir.

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).

[5] WKFM, along with other two organisations founded by Thakur were investigated by Scotland Yard, the Charity Commission and FBI for ties to the Pakistan Military and Militant groups active in Jammu and Kashmir.

During the visit of British Home Secretary Jack Straw to India in May 2002, Indian Deputy Prime Minister, LK Advani again demanded extradition of thakur citing him being accused of providing funds to the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir.

[8][9] Ayub regularly claimed that his family members, relatives and friends were subjected to house raids, torture and harassment by the Indian army [citation needed].