MUZAFFARABAD, July 10: A former head of the Muttahida Jihad Council on Tuesday called for changing the “militancy’s culture” to reap the benefits of the sacrifices rendered by the Kashmiris for freedom.

Tanvirul Islam, who led the MJC in 1992 and 1993, said at a gathering here that Kashmiris could not afford deviation from or giving up the armed struggle because militancy played the key role in making Kashmir an issue.

Mr Islam remained chief commander of Tehrikul Mujahideen from 1990 to 1996.

“If the armed struggle comes to end, our movement will go back to the position of 1987. Therefore, we have to change the militancy’s character and strategy in line with the changed global situation to sustain the movement,” he said.

The meeting was convened by Mr Islam to discuss with several former Mujahid leaders and representatives of refugees how the armed struggle against Indian occupation could be sustained.

“The indigenous character of the movement must be revived and protected. It is unfortunate some of our friends started boasting to hoist flags in New Delhi and Washington at a time when we had not liberated a single inch of Kashmir,” he said in an allusion to Pakistani militant groups.

“Our bad luck started from the day when foreigners were abducted in Kashmir,” he said, referring to the kidnapping in July 1995 of two Briton, two American, a German and a Norwegian tourist in occupied Kashmir.

Calling for unity, Mr Islam stressed that “none (of the Mujahideen) should be dubbed as traitor, because it would push such a person to the enemy’s side.” His remarks were in reference to the rift in Hizbul Mujahideen that led to the ouster of its three top commanders, including operational chief, Abdul Majid Dar.

“National movements need unity. (And) at this stage, we should contact the renegades to mould them in favour of our freedom movement,” said the outspoken leader, who was barred by the AJK home department in August 1995 from attending official meetings in Muzaffarabad due to his “undesirable activities”. He was close to then prime minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan.

He told the meeting he would extend this exercise of consultations to activate Kashmiris in Pakistan to devise a “consensus course of action” after involving the MJC and the All Parties Hurriyet Conference.