 Several Kashmiri militant groups on Monday accused Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf of abandoning the cause of the Kashmiri people by conceding too much during weekend talks with Indian leaders in New Delhi. "President Musharraf has sold out Kashmir for trade and tourism," said a statement signed by a spokesman of the four militant groups and faxed to The Associated Press in Srinagar.
| "And we ain't gonna stand for it!" |
The comment referred to a joint statement issued earlier on Monday by President Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the end of the Pakistani president's visit to India. In the statement, both countries agreed to ease restrictions along their heavily militarised border and promote more trade and tourism in Kashmir. "This is the first time in Pakistan's history that a head of state has given in to India," the militant statement said, adding, "We will not give up jihad until Kashmir becomes free."
The militant groups signatories to the statement are: Al-Nasireen (The Helpers), Save Kashmir Movement, Al-Arifeen (The Pious) and Farzandan-e-Millat (Sons of the Community). Separately, people in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday welcomed the announcement of more bus and transport links for trade across the heavily militarised Line of Control (LoC).
| These aren't the groups we see in our periodic Kashmir Korpse Kounts. Presumably, identifying themselves as Hizbul or Jaish would be a little too obvious for the locals. I'd guess they already have a pretty good idea who they really are, though. |
|