MUZAFFARABAD, Dec 3: Occupied Kashmir’s dominant fighter group Hizbul Mujahideen on Friday asked the European Union to reverse its decision regarding the organization by realising the ground realities in the disputed region. The EU on Wednesday added Hizbul Mujahideen to its list of terrorist organizations, a move that means restrictive anti-terror measures will be applied to the group including a freeze on its funds, assets and economic resources.

“The European Union has been misled by the Indian government into adopting an unjust and unrealistic approach,” said Hizb spokesman Salim Hashmi, in a statement.

“Hizbul Mujahideen is 100 per cent an indigenous, popular and representative organization of the freedom seeking Kashmiris and is carrying on its target oriented actions only against the Indian occupation forces according to a set code of conduct,” he asserted.

Hizb has been supportive of a peace process launched by India and Pakistan in January 2004, although some obscure hardliners have opposed the process, blaming Pakistan of giving too many concessions to India.

“Let it be clear that Hizbul Mujahideen has never been involved in civilian or communal killings because such kinds of action are strictly impermissible in our code of conduct,” Mr Hashmi said.

The armed struggle to rid the region of India’s illegal occupation, he said, was a constitutional, legal, moral right of the group, in accordance with the United Nations charter. “Therefore, there is no justification for declaring us a terrorist group or including us on the terrorist list,” he added.

“The European Union should know that the inclusion of the most popular group in the terror list is tantamount to robbing the people of Kashmir of their legitimate rights.”

Mr Hashmi said Hizb enjoyed the trust of the Kashmiri nation to fight for the liberation of every inch of their motherland. “We hope that instead of being misguided by India the European Union will realize the ground realities and change its decision and thinking towards us.”