May 10, 2002	Friday	Safar 26, 1423

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MUZAFFARABAD, May 9: The Hizbul Mujahideen has described as baseless an Indian news agency’s Thursday report that claimed a revolt had occurred in the group’s folds in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, following the expulsion of its former chief commander, Abdul Majid Dar, and his associates.

The Press Trust of India (PTI) said the Hizb cadres in the AJK had “virtually raised a banner of revolt against the expulsion of Mr Dar by the Islamabad-based command of the group.”

Quoting some unnamed “senior” Hizb leaders, the agency claimed that “the Hizb cadres raised pro-Dar slogans in the “Jungle-Mangal camp, where they are trained to carry out subversive activities in Jammu and Kashmir.”

The Hizb on Saturday expelled Dar and former divisional commanders Zafar Abdul Fateh and Asad Yazdani for being inconsistent with the ideology and policies of the group. Occupied Kashmir’s Abu Obaida, divisional commander, north, and Kupwara district commander Asghar Abdur Rehman, who voiced their opposition to the decision, were also expelled on Wednesday for violating the discipline of the organization.