Pak-backed militants threaten to create new Kargil’ soon

The threat came a few hours before Sharif said in his address to the nation that he had saved the country from a war by asking “mujahideens” to withdraw from Kargil.

Rejecting any possibility of stopping the hostilities, Saeed said, “We do not accept the Nawaz-Clinton communique and cease-fire as (we) were not party to it.”

He said mujahideens from Lashkar, Al-Badr Mujahideen, Hizbul Mujahideen and Harkatul Jehad were still inside Indian territory and “we may change their strategy and go ahead, people will soon hear news of a new Kargil”.

The two-and-a-half-year old Sharif government decided last Friday, after the Clinton-Sharif meeting in Washington on July 4, to appeal to the intruders to withdraw from Kargil region.

On Sunday, foreign minister Sartaj Aziz announced that the withdrawal had started following a meeting between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two countries.

A Pakistan foreign office spokesman had claimed even last night that the mujahideens have endorsed the government’s views.

“I believe disengagement (withdrawal) is taking place,” the spokesman had said.

Hafiz Abur Rehman, the head of Lashkar’s foreign affairs, while addressing the rally issued a warning to the Nawaz Sharif government saying, “Mujahideens were not disappointed and the rulers would lose their heavy mandate if they bowed to the pressure from India and United States.”

“Our group has never created anarchy in the country, but those who sabotage the jehad will have to suffer,” he said.

On the other hand, Al-Badr Mujahideen, another leading militant group, in a statement slammed foreign minister Sartaj Aziz for trying to create a rift among mujahideens through his statements.

“We consider withdrawal from Kargil as a sin,” declared Al-Badr chief Bakht Zameen Khan and said, “Sartaj Aziz has humiliated mujahideen and put Pakistan’s security at risk for his vested interest.”

He said, “Now, we will go for a decisive fight,” adding that his group has not decided to withdraw from the Kargil heights.