Pugwash conference damaging to Kashmir cause: Salah-ud-din

Srinagar Mar 13 (UNI) Muzaffarabad-based United Jehad Council (UJC) Chairman and Hizbul Mujahideen Chief Syed Salah-ud-din has said that conferences such as the one organised by Pugwash could never resolve the Kashmir issue.

''Such conferences are being held in accordance with the wishes and designs of the Indian leaders and most of the people invited are ignorant about the history of Kashmir,'' Salah-ud-din said in a faxed statement to the local media here from Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

''I have no hesitation in saying that the current peace process between India and Pakistan and such conferences are aimed at strengthening the Indian occupation of Jammu and Kashmir,'' he said.

The Hizb Chief said the ''freedom movement in Jammu and Kashmir has entered a final phase and holding conferences such as Pugwash is damaging to the cause. History testifies that Jammu and Kashmir could be liberated through the armed struggle only''.

''We had started the freedom movement with the support of the people and will take it to its logical conclusion,'' he claimed.

Salah-ud-din also appealed to the political leaders of Jammu and Kashmir not to enter into any dialogue with the Centre as it was ''futile and would yield nothing''.

Nobody would be allowed to make a sellout of the sacrifices of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, he said, adding a solution of the vexed issue would be evolved as per the aspirations of the people.

The UJC, an umbrella organisation of several militant outfits, had earlier termed as ''futile and wastage of time and resources'' the Pugwash conference in Pakistan.

''This is because Pugwash never tried to expose India's stubbornness nor paid any attention to the human rights violations and excesses by the security forces in Kashmir,'' it said.

There is a distinct contradiction in the thinking and approach of the Pugwash members, the amalgam said, adding it was futile to attach any hope with such conferences.

''This conference is likely to give rise to further confusion and ambiguity,'' the UJC added.

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