MUZAFFARABAD, Sept 11: A Kashmiri Mujahideen leader on Sunday rejected a call attributed by a section of Pakistani press to a leader of the Mirwaiz Umar Farooq-led faction of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) for a ceasefire in the Indian held territory. “Ceasefire in the occupied territory is out of question unless India accepts the conditions we have laid down for this purpose long ago,” said Syed Salahuddin, chairman of United Jihad Council, in a statement.

The statement came after APHC-A leader Prof Abdul Gani Bhat was quoted as saying that he and his colleagues would make efforts to convince gun-wielding boys to give up arms in the largest interest of the people.

“I ask if Kashmir has been accepted (by India) as a disputed territory, if its army is going back to barracks, if the Kashmiri prisoners have been released and if India has agreed to holding tripartite talks. If the answer is ‘no’, then how can we go for laying down our weapons,” Mr Salahuddin said.

Without naming anyone, he said: “Some people have been addicted to holding purposeless and futile talks (with India) either to keep themselves alive in the media or under some illusion.”

He pointed out that repeated statements by Indian leaders against “redrawing of borders” also made India’s intensions very clear.

“There are strong indications that the talks are being held for changing direction of the movement and withdrawal from the right to self determination under a well planned conspiracy”, he added.

The UJC chief recalled that similar talks between Sheikh Abdullah and Mrs Indra Gandhi in seventies had also failed to bring anything to the oppressed Kashmiri nation except for a toothless government to the National Conference leader.

“The talks are being held by the people who are eager to keep themselves in the limelight and wear the crown of leadership on their heads,” he said.

Mr Salahuddin said as far as settlement of Kashmir issue in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiris was concerned, these talks could not achieve that goal.

He pointed out that Kashmir was not an issue of “law and order” but the talks between the Indian leadership and APHC-A were being held with the sole purpose of improving the law and order situation in the held territory.”

“We, therefore, believe that these talks are a conspiracy to change the direction of the whole struggle and reject them outright,” he said.