November 23, 2001	Friday	Ramazan 7, 1422

SRINAGAR, Nov 22: The Hizbul Mujahideen on Thursday vowed to continue its armed struggle against New Delhi’s rule in occupied Kashmir, despite its offer of a ceasefire earlier this week.

“Our group is not interested in a ceasefire,” Hizbul Mujahideen spokesman Junaid-ul-Islam said.

The comments came after Asad Yazdani, the Hizb’s deputy chief, told reporters in held that the group would consider a truce with Indian troops if New Delhi started negotiations with Pakistan and the Kashmiri people on the future of the held state.

Yazdani had also said that foreign fighters were active in held Kashmir and advised them to work under the leadership of Kashmiri groups. The Hizb is dominated by Kashmiris.

But the spokesman said Yazdani’s position within Hizb had become “unimportant” after reshuffles in the party leadership.

“His statements should not be attributed to our group. The Hizbul Mujahideen is an armed group and it will continue to fight India,” Junaid said.

India’s Home Minister, Lal Krishna Advani, had told parliament on Wednesday that New Delhi would examine Hizbul Mujahideen’s proposal of a ceasefire.

Advani said the government was willing to talk to any organization which was prepared to lay down arms and come to the negotiating table.

Such suggestions by New Delhi have been spurned by Mujahideen groups in the past.

The Hizb leadership last year announced a unilateral ceasefire, which was withdrawn by the group’s supreme commander within a fortnight after India refused to involve Pakistan in talks on Kashmir.

“We have seen practically that ceasefire is a futile exercise as India is not serious in resolving the issue through negotiations,” the Hizb spokesman said.—AFP