Hizb chief rules out ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir

New Delhi, Jan 4: Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) Chief Syed Salahuddin has ruled out a ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir, claiming that India was not sincere in resolving the vexed issue through talks.

''No ceasefire.... Ceasefire is outdated now and it has been misused in the past. After the passage of many years, I still think that India is neither serious nor sincere to solve this issue through talks. So ceasefire is out of question now,'' Salahuddin said in an interview to a Pakistan-based private news channel.

''Talks can be started without a ceasefire. We are no more ready to announce any ceasefire keeping in mind the track record of India,'' he added.

The Chief of the United Jehad Council (UJC), an umbrella organisation of 19 militant groups operating in Kashmir, accused India of trying to use the truce for creating differences among Hizb ranks and also between Pakistan and Kashmiris.

''The Hizbul Mujahideen had declared ceasefire in 2000 when there were rumours that the issue was going to be resolved soon by talks but nothing happened,'' he added.

Salahuddin said India must show sincerity by accepting its conditions and demands and then the Hizb response would be positive.

''Kashmir must be accepted as a dispute, our prisoners released, withdrawal of forces to the 1989 position and end to human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir.'' About the talks and militancy going on side by side, he said the same strategy was adopted in Afghanistan and Vietnam.

''I am not saying any new thing. I am confined to this point on the basis of India's past record,'' he added.

When asked that some Hurriyat Conference leaders were saying that Kashmiris were tired of militancy and it should be abandoned, the Hizb Chief dismissed the statement.

''Kashmiris are not tired, actually these leaders are tired.

How can we sustain in the region without the support of the people,''? he added .

''The people's support for us can be gauged from the fact that our people enjoy popularity in the whole of Kashmir. Whenever one of our fighters is martyred, thousands of Kashmiris gathered in the funeral and chanted slogans to show their support for our cause.''

UNI