Arrested Pak Militant Sees No Need of “Jihad” in Kashmir

Enlightened by his own observation, a Pakistani militant captured by Army on Saturday has said that Jihad is not needed in Kashmir, Kashmiris are not facing any cruelty and repression, adding he finds his impression of the state thoroughly contrary to what he was told in Pakistan.

After seeing the conditions of Kashmiri Muslims, Syed Moinullah Shah, cadre of the Pakistan based Hizbul Mujahideen who was part of the group of 31 militants who crossed over the LoC recently, said that he now wanted to go back rather than carry on with “jihad.”

“I was told by Kashmiris who come there (Pakistan) that they are being persecuted by the Indian Army. Their houses have also been taken away besides not being allowed to offer the namaaz. They also said their women were being raped,” Shah said when he was presented before the media. He underwent an intensive training in Pak-occupied Kashmir.

“When I came here, I did not see any kind of torture. Everybody was busy doing their own work. I felt there was no need of jihad in Kashmir and hence wanted to go back,” he added.

Ruling out involvement of Taliban in Kashmir, Shah said, “Taliban do not operate here. They are separate and have a different set-up. They are involved in Afghanistan and certain parts of Pakistan.”