Syed Salahuddin, Kashmiris not terrorist, says Zafar

SRINAGAR: Syed Salahuddin and any Kashmiri pursuing right to self-determination are not terrorist because this right is guaranteed by the UN and Indian leadership, including its first PM late Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru has pledged that soon as normalcy is restored in occupied Jammu and Kashmir people will be asked to express their aspiration about the political destiny of state.

”They will go their way and we will go our way” were the historical words of late Nehru said, Senior Hurriyat leader and Chairman Salvation Movement Zafar Akbar said in an interview with a BBC correspondent.

Akbar, who was under house arrest for last 15 days, expressed his view point during his comments over the statement issued by the US, wherein they have listed Salahuddin as a terrorist.

Zafar disclosed that in 2000 during a brief span of ceasefire between armed wing Hizb ul Mujahedeen and Indian forces, the State Department of US and GOI recognized Hizb ul Mujahedeen and its Supreme Commander Syed Salahuddin as party to dispute when its operational commander late Abdul Majid Dar announced unilateral ceasefire and initiated dialogue with the then home secretary of India Mr. Kamal Pandey at the Nehru Guest House in Srinagar.

How can America or any country contrary to the fact that it is an indigenous movement for peaceful resolution, declare him terrorist.

It was authorities that they accepted him party to the dispute and stressed both India and Pakistan to come forward and start dialogue for permanent resolution of Kashmir dispute, said Zafar.

Liking or disliking is not a parameter or any yardstick and people pursuing an issue which is on the UN agenda have right to press their demands and instead of declaring Salahuddin a terrorist it was better for the US to visit annals of history and look their statements relating to this issue.

The US needs to rethink and send fact-finding mission to Kashmir to ascertain the appalling situation in the disputed territory, said Zafar during his interaction with BBC.

He said that “forces are terrorising Kashmiris while arresting, killings, carrying out massacres, showering pellet and bullets, harrassment, using sexual assault as a weapon of war against women and killing youth through fake encounters are now so rampant that each soul in the state run for safety and feel insecure in highly militarized zone.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Jammu And Kashmir Salvation Movement strongly condemned the use of force against mourners after Eid prayers in different parts of Kashmir.

He also condemned the restrictions and denounced the curbs on Hurriyat leadership including Zafar Akbar Bhat and said that all these leaders were barred from offering Eid prayers’.