JAMMU: While the State Government claims success in controlling militancy in the Valley, rival Pakistani Hizbul Mujahideen and the pro-independence J and K Liberation Front have vowed to unite to fight their “common enemy, India, and undo the 1947 instrument of secession.”

The JKLF and Hizbul patch-up was brought about by several prominent citizens, who advised them against squandering their energies, thus a “new era of understanding among the militant groups fighting for the liberation of Kashmir,” has begun.

Earlier, Hizbul Advisor General Abdul Majid Dar and JKLF chief Javed Mir had charged each other of working against the Jehad Mr Dar had said the JKLF had killed one of their boys Akhtar Rasool and set fire to a Jamaat-e-Islami office and an Islamic library, JKLF leaders on the other hand held Hizbul responsible for liquidation Of its activists.

The patch-up came to light recently, when militant leaders found that fresh supplies of arms and ammunition were not reaching them because of the operations of Indian jawans in border areas.

The Government has also claimed the arrest of 876 Subversives, including some self-styled area commanders, deputy chiefs and other important functionaries of various militant outfits taking the number of arrested to over 5,000.

However, the screening committee headed by the Director General of Police released 39 detainees and 1,451 alleged Subversives on ball. In Poonch district, the Pakistan Army kidnapped 76 Muslims last year during the Kimi operation, Abdul Majid, who returned later, disclosed that the youth were being forcibly trained in subversive activities and the rest of their family members supplied 11 kg free ration and Rs 450 per month, which was stopped later.

Jamait-ul-Kujahideen, a fundamentalist outfit, has asked all foreign nationals to leave Kashmir within a week or face dire consequences, According to it, a large number of foreigners were visiting the Valley despite direction to the contrary from their respective embassies. It suspects they are Indian agents, Local tour operators however, have resented the ban saying it would further harm them economically.

Article extracted from this publication >> September 18, 1992