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Pathankot attack part of our activity, nothing to do with Indo-Pak dialogue: Hizb-ul Mujahideen chief

The Hizb-ul Mujahideen chief also dismissed the perception within Pakistan that claiming responsibility for the Pathankot attack harms the interests of Pakistan

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Hizb-ul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin has taken responsibility for the Pathankot attack, calling it “a continuation of their activity, targeting Indian military installations”. He has also criticised Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s “Kashmir policy”. These comments are part of an interview to an Urdu news portal, Wajood, based in Pakistan. The militant commander is also the head of the United Jihad Council, an amalgam of militant outfits operating in Kashmir, a spokesman for which had called a news agency in Srinagar to claim responsibility for the Pathankot attack.

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“Pakistan is a primary party to the Kashmir issue and its advocate,” Salahuddin told the interviewer in response to a question on Sharif’s policy. “While smoothing its relations with India, it (Pakistan) is accountable for considering the emotions and aspirations of the oppressed Kashmiris. You cannot be an advocate of the murdered and a friend of the murderer simultaneously.”

To a question about the Pathankot attack being a conspiracy to stall Indo-Pak talks, Salahuddin said in the interview: “This perception is cent per cent wrong. Armed Mujahideen are engaged with the eight lakh Indian forces for the last 26 years and each day, Mujahideen are targeting Indian military installations. Pathankot is a continuation of that activity. It has nothing to do with the dialogue process.”

About the Pakistan government’s policy on dialogue with India, Salahudin said: “There have been more than 150 rounds of dialogue and Kashmir issue as a core issue hasn’t come up for a discussion even once. This continued and aimless dialogue process is only aimed at deceiving the international community by India while it gains time to strengthen its military hold (over Kashmir). Whether anybody understands it or not, we Kashmiris understand the manner in which it is done very well.” To another question, he said, “India is neither ready to hold talks on the basic issue of Kashmir nor is it ready to accept occupied Kashmir as a party, so this dialogue process is… a waste of time.”

He also dismissed the perception within Pakistan that claiming responsibility for the Pathankot attack harms the interests of Pakistan. “Azad Jammu and Kashmir is my homeland and base camp. Morally and as per the international law, we are right to carry out any activity for the independence of our occupied land. People who are scared of India can abandon advocating our cause,” he said.

He warned that the militant movement is far from over. “…The anti-India sentiment among the population and the passion for jihad among the youth of the state will keep providing strength to it.”

He ruled out a peaceful solution to the Kashmir issue. “ The traditional obstinacy… and military arrogance of India… and the double standards of world powers have destroyed the essence of peaceful means. The youth of the state are united in the understanding that there isn’t any solution to the issue but through a result-oriented armed struggle,” he said.

Curated For You

Muzamil Jaleel is a Deputy Editor at The Indian Express and is widely recognized as one of India’s most authoritative voices on Jammu & Kashmir, national security, and internal affairs. With a career spanning over 30 years, he has provided definitive on-the-ground reportage from the heart of the Kashmir conflict, bearing witness to historic political transitions and constitutional shifts. Expertise and Investigative Depth Muzamil’s work is characterized by a rare combination of ground-level immersion and high-level constitutional analysis. His expertise includes: Conflict & Geopolitics: Decades of reporting on the evolution of the Kashmir conflict, the Indo-Pak peace process, and the socio-political dynamics of the Himalayan region. Constitutional Law: Deep-dive analysis of Article 370 and Article 35A, providing clarity on the legal and demographic implications of their abrogation in 2019. Human Rights & Accountability: A relentless investigator of state and non-state actors, uncovering systemic abuses including fake encounters and the custodial death of political workers. International War Reporting: Beyond South Asia, he provided on-the-spot coverage of the final, decisive phase of the Sri Lankan Civil War in 2009. Landmark Exposés & Impact Muzamil’s reporting has repeatedly forced institutional accountability and shaped national discourse: The Kashmir Sex Scandal (2006): His investigative series exposed a high-profile exploitation nexus involving top politicians, bureaucrats, and police officers, leading to the sacking and arrest of several senior officials. Fake Encounters: His reports blew the lid off cases where innocent civilians were passed off as "foreign terrorists" by security forces for gallantry awards. SIMI Investigations: He conducted a massive deep-dive into the arrests of SIMI members, using public records to show how innocuous religious gatherings were often labeled as incriminating activities by investigative agencies. The Amarnath Land Row: Provided critical context to the 2008 agitation that polarized the region and altered its political trajectory. Over the years, Muzamil has also covered 2002 Gujarat riots, Bhuj earthquake, assembly elections in Bihar for Indian Express. He has also reported the peace process in Northern Ireland, war in Sri Lanka and national elections in Pakistan for the paper. Awards and Fellowships His "Journalism of Courage" has been honored with the industry's most prestigious accolades: Four Ramnath Goenka Awards: Recognized for J&K Reportage (2007), On-the-Spot Reporting (2009), and Reporting on Politics and Government (2012, 2017). Kurt Schork Award: From Columbia University for international journalism. Sanskriti Award: For excellence in Indian journalism and literature. IFJ Tolerance Prize: For his empathetic and nuanced reporting in South Asia. International Fellowships: Served as a visiting scholar at UC Berkeley and worked with The Guardian, The Observer, and The Times in London. He has also received Chevening fellowship and a fellowship at the Institute of Social Studies, Hague, Netherlands. Professional Presence Current Location: New Delhi (formerly Bureau Chief, Srinagar). Education: Master’s in Journalism from Kashmir University. Social Media: Follow him for field insights and rigorous analysis on X (Twitter) @MuzamilJALEEL. ... Read More

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