MUZAFFARABAD, March 24: Hizbul Mujahideen supreme commander Syed Salahuddin on Sunday asked the political parties of Pakistan to include ‘Kashmir in their election manifestos as a ‘core issue’ instead of mentioning it as a ‘passing reference.’
Speaking at a press conference here, he also expressed the hope that the new government in Islamabad would extend ‘solid military support’ to the cause of Kashmiris.
However, he stopped short of elaborating that support and said it was up to Islamabad to decide its procedure.
“We call upon the people of Pakistan to force their (new) government to provide solid military support to the Kashmiris becauseKashmir is an issue of Pakistans survival and security,” he said.
“Pakistan is basic party to the dispute and hence duty bound, morally, legally and constitutionally, to extend concrete military support to the Kashmiris.”
Salahuddin urged Pakistani parties to rise above their political and regional leanings and highlight Kashmir issue in their election manifestos as an issue of national importance.
“This will send a good message to the Kashmiri people that we stand by you in your just struggle,” he said.
The Hizbul Mujahideen leader pointed out that when Pakistans National Assembly passed a resolution on ‘judicial murder’ of Afzal Guru, Indian Parliament did not waste time to reiterate its false claim on Kashmir.
“The response of Indian Parliament shows that 65 years on, there is no change in Indias traditional intransigence and unrealistic attitude,” he said, adding, it should serve as an eye-opener for those who banged the drum of Kashmirs settlement through peaceful talks.
“Let me reiterate that unless India gives up its obduracy and agrees to resolve Kashmir issue in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of the Kashmiris, a state wide armed struggle is an indispensable requirement.”
“As a basic party to Kashmir issue, the government of Pakistan should try its best to meet the demands of the battlefield (in Kashmir). It should back the armed struggle, apart from its political, moral and diplomatic support to Kashmir cause.”
Responding to questions, he maintained that expecting a positive outcome of talks with a wicked country like India was nothing but self-deception.
“Weaker parties get nothing at the negotiating tables. One must be in a bargaining position to gain something in talks,” he said.
He disclosed that India wanted to construct a Berlin wall like fence along the Line of Control to strengthen its military occupation of Kashmir and asked the government, army and people of Pakistan to thwart her designs.
“If they support us, we can push India beyond the borders of Jammu province,” he claimed.Salahuddin recalled that after the alaunch of a peaceful protest movement by the Kashmiris, the fighters had shifted their activities to the border areas.
When asked that whether some recent attacks on the installations of security forces should be taken a policy shift, he replied in the negative.
“These attacks were a spontaneous reaction. Our policy remains unchanged and as people are still staging peaceful demonstrations we do not want to provide any excuse to Indian forces to indiscriminately kill the civilians.”
“We have strictly told our cadres that when the public is on roads they should not move towards those areas.”
He said that Indias state sponsored terrorism notwithstanding, the reaction of the Kashmiri people in the wake of Afzal Guru’s hanging was “worth observance and appreciation.”
“The people have once again shown to the entire world that there is no change in their stance. Their struggle will continue till the withdrawal of Indian forces.”