Peace in Kashmir will cost Pakistan: Hizbul Mujahideen chief

[1]

Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin has threatened to fight against Pakistan if it withdraws support to ‘jihad’ in Kashmir.

“We are fighting Pakistan’s war in Kashmir and if it withdraws its support, the war would be fought inside Pakistan,” said Salahuddin, who also heads the Muttahida Jihad Council (MJC).

The Hizb chief’s comments come after Pakistan and India have held several rounds of talks for peace in the region.

The two sides have also vowed to continue talks at various levels to normalise ties.

In an interview with Arab News, Salahuddin said he was “desperate and agitated” with the new approach adopted by Pakistan in the peace process with India.

He added that Pakistani political leadership’s new approach for normalising ties with India had “stunned” Kashmiri leaders.

“Kashmir has been the key issue but now it has become peripheral as all claims of supporting our struggle politically, diplomatically and morally are nothing but lip service,” the Hizb chief said.

Salahuddin said he believes that militancy alone is the solution to the Kashmir issue.

“All those who were involved in the so-called peace talks eventually admitted that India is not serious and that it gained more and more time to implement its own design for the region,” he claimed.

Salahuddin said he believes Pakistanis were silent due to the existing dichotomy on the Kashmir issue that has placed Islamabad in a dilemma on whether to support militancy or the peace process.