NEWSLINKS US EDITION SOUTH ASIA COLUMNISTS DIARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL THE STATES ELECTIONS ARCHIVES SEARCH REDIFF
Dispelling fears about a possible influx of Taleban fighters into Kashmir, pro-Pakistan militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen on Tuesday expressed its willingness to settle the Kashmir issue peacefully.
"It is wrong to assume that the Taleban militia , who suffered defeat in Afghanistan, will move towards Kashmir and join the freedom struggle," Hizb spokesman Asad Yazdani said.
Yazdani told representatives of two local news agencies that the ongoing movement in Kashmir had nothing do with the Taleban or the Al Qaeda of Osama bin Laden.
"There is no link between any Afghan group and the ongoing armed struggle in Kashmir," Yazdani said.
However, he did not deny the presence of foreign militants in Kashmir and described them as ansar (helpers). "Foreign militant outfits like the Lashker-e-Tayiba, Jaish-e- Mohammed, Al-Badr, Harkat-e-Jehadi-e-Islami are our honoured guests," he said, but asked the foreign militants to remain subservient to the local policymakers.
"We are in favour of a peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue at the political level," Yazdani said.
Commenting on Hurriyat Conference chairman Abdul Gani Bhat's recent call for ceasefire in the state, Yazdani said the Hurriyat had failed to present a "positive and concrete policy with regard to the resolution of the Kashmir issue".
"Abdul Gani Bhat has floated an idea, and as far as the Hizb is concerned we have not stopped our armed activities," he added.
Ruling out any change in the policy of the outfit, he said, "If the Government of India shows sincerity and seriousness towards the resolution of the Kashmir issue, then we will also reciprocate positively."
The spokesman also indicated that the outfit would float a political party of its own. "We explain our policies on our own strength. We will not take dictations from anybody. The Hizb is thinking of forming a political organisation in the state."
PTI
Tell us what you think of this report