Islamabad fires again from Hizbul’s shoulder

Only yesterday, Hizbul’s commander in Srinagar Abdul Majeed Dar had also said that there would be a ceasefire within two months if India accepted its condition of bringing Pakistan to the negotiating table.

Incidentally, Salahuddin claimed today that Dar had been misquoted and that all he had said was that the situation would be clear in two months.

In Srinagar, the barrage of clarifications by Dar was also forced by FarooqAbdullah’s recent statements that the the dialogue between Hizbul and theGovernment was still going on secretly. “Dar and his group were being viewed with suspicion regarding secret talks, if any, with New Delhi. That’s why Dar has reacted stronlgy by denying any behind-the-scene contactwith the Centre,” a local editor said seeking anonymity.

“In a way, it is also aimed to negate the recent reports in Pakistani Press of a growing split between Salahudin and Dar, speculation that was gaining ground in the Valley as well.”

“The Hizbul point man in the previous dialogue process Fazal Haq Qureshiwas Dar’s choice and the way he was asked to shut up by Salahuddin had alsoturned the relations between the two commanders bitter. But it seemsthere is an effort to plug the chances of a split within Hizbul,” a seniorHome department official told The Indian Express. “It’s nothing surprising because even our intelligence officers who were involved in the first phase to work out the modalities of the ceasefire are against encourgaing a split within the Hizbul. For they believe it will harm the peace process more than anything else,” he said.