08-04-2006, 08:19 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->â<b>Pakistan should support the Kashmiris militarilyâ¦â </b>
FT
Mohammad Shehzad
Syed Salahuddin, the supreme commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, an indigenous Kashmiri group, is a wanted man in India. His name is on a list that India keeps pushing into Pakistanâs face. New Delhi wants him extradited; it demanded that Pakistan do so shortly after the July 11 Mumbai blasts. <b>The Friday Times sought out Salahuddin at an undisclosed location near the LoC in Azad Kashmir to seek his views on the Kashmir struggle and the Mumbai blasts. Below are excerpts:</b>
<b>The Friday Times: The Musharraf regime has changed tack on some basic security policies. How would you react if it took a u-turn on you?</b>
Syed Salahuddin: Pakistanâs security, defence and sovereignty is strongly linked with the security of Kashmiri freedom fighters. Indiaâs demand that âSalahuddinâ or any other mujahid is handed over to them is absurd because âSalahuddinâ is living in Azad Kashmir which is his land and a liberated part of Jammu and Kashmir. Every Kashmiri has the right to live either in the Occupied Kashmir or Azad Kashmir. It is impossible for the Musharraf regime to take a u-turn on me.
<b>So it was thought by the Taliban; it was the same thing vis-Ã -vis Mullah Zaeef and Dr AQ Khan. If the US pressed Islamabad to hand you over to India, what would you do?</b>
Mullah Zaeef was a different case. He was an Afghan national. He was on Pakistani territory. I am a Kashmiri. Till this moment, the international community acknowledges Azad Kashmir as part of Kashmir. It recognises the legal, diplomatic, political and moral standing of Kashmiris. The Taliban did not enjoy such privilege. On the Kashmir issue, Islamabad cannot take a u-turn.
<b>But of late you have been accusing the Musharraf regime of taking a u-turn on Kashmirâ¦</b>
Thatâs a different thing. Kashmir is an indigenous movement. Pakistan is a party to it. It is Pakistanâs responsibility to provide every kind of support to this movement â although until now Pakistan has been giving it diplomatic, moral and political support. We want Pakistan to initiate a military intervention in Kashmir, just like India. But Pakistan does not do that. Pakistan is justified in taking that decision but the Kashmiris are disgruntled with it for not exercising the military option. Even so, I have full faith that nobody can take a u-turn on Kashmir. Nobody can hand me over to India.
<b>What gives you this faith? </b>
I have this faith because my living in the Azad Kashmir is like living in the Occupied Kashmir. I am justified in living in Azad Kashmir. No law in the world can make anyone extradite me.
<b>Who is behind the Mumbai blasts? </b>
No outfit fighting inside Kashmir [against the Indian occupation] is behind the Mumbai blasts. The Brahmin imperialism has denied human rights to the Indian minorities. India is cruel towards its minority. Thatâs why more than a dozen separatist movements are going on in India. Incidents like Mumbai blasts could be masterminded by anyone who is a victim of atrocities. India wants to malign Pakistan. If a dog would bite a dog, India would accuse Pakistan for it. Once a village in Kashmir was hit by the plague. India accused the ISI of infiltrating infected rats! India is suffering from ISI-phobia. India would orchestrate terrorist attacks itself to muster support from the West and then accuse Pakistan of perpetrating violence. India has struggled to get the freedom movement of Kashmir termed as terrorism but has failed. The international community recognises it as indigenous movement. India has been unsuccessful in having Hizbul Mujahideen declared a terrorist outfit.
<b>But what has your jihad in Kashmir achieved so far? </b>
The Kashmiris are fighting 750,000 Indian troops for the last 16 years. Your [referring to Pakistan] total army is not more than 600,000. Despite its superior forces and arms India has not been able to break our will to fight. India is spending Rs520 million per day in Kashmir. Keep in mind that more than 450 million people in India live below the poverty line.
<b>Indian economy is becoming stronger. Its reputation is improving. The US is signing nuclear deals with India. India has become the hub of IT technologyâ¦on the other hand, Pakistanâs reputation is at the lowest ebb. </b>
I agree that Pakistanâs reputation is falling and Indiaâs is going up. But does all this mean we should give up our stance on Kashmir. The Kashmiris have only one option â do or die!
<b>The historical fact is that all international disputes have been resolved through political processes.</b>
India and the international community have wasted the opportunity of holding a political dialogue by not responding to General Musharrafâs CBMs. The international community did not support Musharraf. It supported India. The role of international community is condemnable.
<b>So what will happen? </b>
We are above âwhat will happen!â We will continue to fight the Indians and give sacrifices. Our conviction is that we will liberate Kashmir through jihad like Afghanistan.
<b>There are no American dollars behind the Kashmir jihad⦠</b>
American dollars reached when jihad had acquired roots in Afghanistan. Before that, the mujahideen sold their goats to buy weapons. Kashmir will never be resolved through talks.
<b>So what are the options? </b>
Pakistan should provide Kashmiris âsubstantial supportâ.
<b>What is âsubstantial support?â </b>
It does not require explanation. It should be in addition to the diplomatic, political and moral support â to make this movement meaningful.
<b>And âsubstantial supportâ would resolve the Kashmir issue?</b>
One year, five years, ten years, or hundred years⦠Time doesnât matter in freedom movements. India has realised that if Kashmir is not resolved soon, militancy will spiral out of Kashmir and spread to other parts of the country.
<b>Are Mumbai blasts a result of this phenomenon? </b>
The Indians are relating it to militancy in Kashmir. Not we. We are following our code of conduct. We donât want to give India any chance to defame our movement.
<b>Who is financing your movement?</b>
The Kashmiris! There are more than 5 million Kashmiris living around the world. They are supporting our cause.
<b>What is Hizbâs policy on suicide attacks? </b>
Donât use the word âsuicideâ. Fidayeen attacks are the supreme form of sacrifice. Among martyrs, the greatest death is of the one whose body and means of transportation are blown up and divided into pieces. That is the highest degree of martyrdom. Fidayeen sacrifice their lives to achieve a bigger target.
<b>What is Hizbâs strength? </b>
In hundreds of thousands, people of every age, including some non-Muslims.
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FT
Mohammad Shehzad
Syed Salahuddin, the supreme commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, an indigenous Kashmiri group, is a wanted man in India. His name is on a list that India keeps pushing into Pakistanâs face. New Delhi wants him extradited; it demanded that Pakistan do so shortly after the July 11 Mumbai blasts. <b>The Friday Times sought out Salahuddin at an undisclosed location near the LoC in Azad Kashmir to seek his views on the Kashmir struggle and the Mumbai blasts. Below are excerpts:</b>
<b>The Friday Times: The Musharraf regime has changed tack on some basic security policies. How would you react if it took a u-turn on you?</b>
Syed Salahuddin: Pakistanâs security, defence and sovereignty is strongly linked with the security of Kashmiri freedom fighters. Indiaâs demand that âSalahuddinâ or any other mujahid is handed over to them is absurd because âSalahuddinâ is living in Azad Kashmir which is his land and a liberated part of Jammu and Kashmir. Every Kashmiri has the right to live either in the Occupied Kashmir or Azad Kashmir. It is impossible for the Musharraf regime to take a u-turn on me.
<b>So it was thought by the Taliban; it was the same thing vis-Ã -vis Mullah Zaeef and Dr AQ Khan. If the US pressed Islamabad to hand you over to India, what would you do?</b>
Mullah Zaeef was a different case. He was an Afghan national. He was on Pakistani territory. I am a Kashmiri. Till this moment, the international community acknowledges Azad Kashmir as part of Kashmir. It recognises the legal, diplomatic, political and moral standing of Kashmiris. The Taliban did not enjoy such privilege. On the Kashmir issue, Islamabad cannot take a u-turn.
<b>But of late you have been accusing the Musharraf regime of taking a u-turn on Kashmirâ¦</b>
Thatâs a different thing. Kashmir is an indigenous movement. Pakistan is a party to it. It is Pakistanâs responsibility to provide every kind of support to this movement â although until now Pakistan has been giving it diplomatic, moral and political support. We want Pakistan to initiate a military intervention in Kashmir, just like India. But Pakistan does not do that. Pakistan is justified in taking that decision but the Kashmiris are disgruntled with it for not exercising the military option. Even so, I have full faith that nobody can take a u-turn on Kashmir. Nobody can hand me over to India.
<b>What gives you this faith? </b>
I have this faith because my living in the Azad Kashmir is like living in the Occupied Kashmir. I am justified in living in Azad Kashmir. No law in the world can make anyone extradite me.
<b>Who is behind the Mumbai blasts? </b>
No outfit fighting inside Kashmir [against the Indian occupation] is behind the Mumbai blasts. The Brahmin imperialism has denied human rights to the Indian minorities. India is cruel towards its minority. Thatâs why more than a dozen separatist movements are going on in India. Incidents like Mumbai blasts could be masterminded by anyone who is a victim of atrocities. India wants to malign Pakistan. If a dog would bite a dog, India would accuse Pakistan for it. Once a village in Kashmir was hit by the plague. India accused the ISI of infiltrating infected rats! India is suffering from ISI-phobia. India would orchestrate terrorist attacks itself to muster support from the West and then accuse Pakistan of perpetrating violence. India has struggled to get the freedom movement of Kashmir termed as terrorism but has failed. The international community recognises it as indigenous movement. India has been unsuccessful in having Hizbul Mujahideen declared a terrorist outfit.
<b>But what has your jihad in Kashmir achieved so far? </b>
The Kashmiris are fighting 750,000 Indian troops for the last 16 years. Your [referring to Pakistan] total army is not more than 600,000. Despite its superior forces and arms India has not been able to break our will to fight. India is spending Rs520 million per day in Kashmir. Keep in mind that more than 450 million people in India live below the poverty line.
<b>Indian economy is becoming stronger. Its reputation is improving. The US is signing nuclear deals with India. India has become the hub of IT technologyâ¦on the other hand, Pakistanâs reputation is at the lowest ebb. </b>
I agree that Pakistanâs reputation is falling and Indiaâs is going up. But does all this mean we should give up our stance on Kashmir. The Kashmiris have only one option â do or die!
<b>The historical fact is that all international disputes have been resolved through political processes.</b>
India and the international community have wasted the opportunity of holding a political dialogue by not responding to General Musharrafâs CBMs. The international community did not support Musharraf. It supported India. The role of international community is condemnable.
<b>So what will happen? </b>
We are above âwhat will happen!â We will continue to fight the Indians and give sacrifices. Our conviction is that we will liberate Kashmir through jihad like Afghanistan.
<b>There are no American dollars behind the Kashmir jihad⦠</b>
American dollars reached when jihad had acquired roots in Afghanistan. Before that, the mujahideen sold their goats to buy weapons. Kashmir will never be resolved through talks.
<b>So what are the options? </b>
Pakistan should provide Kashmiris âsubstantial supportâ.
<b>What is âsubstantial support?â </b>
It does not require explanation. It should be in addition to the diplomatic, political and moral support â to make this movement meaningful.
<b>And âsubstantial supportâ would resolve the Kashmir issue?</b>
One year, five years, ten years, or hundred years⦠Time doesnât matter in freedom movements. India has realised that if Kashmir is not resolved soon, militancy will spiral out of Kashmir and spread to other parts of the country.
<b>Are Mumbai blasts a result of this phenomenon? </b>
The Indians are relating it to militancy in Kashmir. Not we. We are following our code of conduct. We donât want to give India any chance to defame our movement.
<b>Who is financing your movement?</b>
The Kashmiris! There are more than 5 million Kashmiris living around the world. They are supporting our cause.
<b>What is Hizbâs policy on suicide attacks? </b>
Donât use the word âsuicideâ. Fidayeen attacks are the supreme form of sacrifice. Among martyrs, the greatest death is of the one whose body and means of transportation are blown up and divided into pieces. That is the highest degree of martyrdom. Fidayeen sacrifice their lives to achieve a bigger target.
<b>What is Hizbâs strength? </b>
In hundreds of thousands, people of every age, including some non-Muslims.
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