KARACHI: Condemning terror attacks on schools, mosques, Imambargahs, Hizbul Mujahideen’s supreme commander Syed Salahuddin has said that those carrying out such attacks are the open enemy of Pakistan and Islam.

Speaking at a press conference at the Jamaat-i-Islami’s Idara Noor-i-Haq headquarters on Friday, he said that jihad did not teach targeting innocent children and women.

He said that the Modi-led Indian government wanted to eliminate the Islamic identity of Kashmiris.

He blamed former military ruler retired Gen Pervez Musharraf for taking a U-turn on the Kashmir policy that, according to him, damaged the struggle of the people of Kashmir badly.

He demanded that the army leadership and the government raise their voice for the right of self-determination for Kashmiri people at international forums.

“If the Kashmir issue was not resolved under the resolutions of the United Nations and according to the desires of Kashmiris, then the entire continent would face dire consequences,” he warned.

He said that India was not ready to consider Kashmir a “disputed territory” and instead claimed the valley as its so-called integral part, which was in negation of the UN resolutions.

“The struggle of Kashmiris will continue till the withdrawal of the Indian army from India-held Kashmir, as the people of Kashmir are struggling for the right of self-determination,” he said, adding: “We are not against dialogue, but the epicentre of talks should be the Kashmir issue, otherwise the discussion would prove worthless.”

The Kashmiri leader believed that Indian involvement had increased in Balochistan and Waziristan.

He alleged that India was providing arms and ammunition to the Balochistan Liberation Army.

He also claimed that India and other anti-state elements were involved in bomb blasts across Pakistan.

He said that ‘mujahideen’ were not involved in carrying out any terrorist activities in Pakistan.

Karachi JI chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, deputy supreme commander Javed Kasuri, JI leaders Barjees Ahmed, Osama Razi, Abdur Razzaq and Zahid Askari were also present during the press conference.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2015

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