Defence experts slam Basit for backing Syed Salahuddin

Basit on Tuesday said that Salahuddin, who is designated as a global terrorist by the US on India's suggestion, is not a terrorist.

The defence and strategic matters experts came down hard at Pakistan's Ambassador to India Abdul Basit for his recent remark on Syed Salahuddin in which he said that the Hizbul Mujahideen chief was not a terrorist.

Defence expert PK Sehgal said that Pakistan had nurtured Salahuddin as a 'national asset' and using him to spread mayhem and chaos in India.

"Basit is just furthering their policy," he told news agency ANI.

Basit on Tuesday said that Salahuddin, who is designated as a global terrorist by the US on India's suggestion, is not a terrorist.

Speaking to ANI, Basit had said, "Syed Salahuddin is not a terrorist as far as Pakistan or people of J&K are concerned. We criticize this decision on part of US.''

''Whatever he is doing is seen in Pakistan and in J&K that he is struggling for the right to self-determination,'' he added.

Another defence expert DS Dhillon said that Salahuddin has been backing those trying to create chaos in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that the entire world knew about it.

Salahuddin had in July vowed to continue the struggle for "liberation" of Kashmir from India, days after the US blacklisted him as a "global terrorist". He had rejected the US decision and said he was a freedom fighter and not a terrorist.

OneIndia News