India to Seek Salahuddin’s Arrest

NEW DELHI – For the first time, India will be sending a judicial request to Pakistan soon for the arrest of chief of Hizbul Mujahideen Syed Salahuddin, declared a proclaimed offender and charged by a federal investigation agency for allegedly pumping money into Indian held Kashmir for the freedom fighters.

National Investigation Agency (NIA) sources said that permission from the government had been received to send a Letters Rogatory (LR) to Pakistan asking the authorities to arrest Salahuddin and seven others named as proclaimed offenders in the charge sheet filed on Saturday.

It is the first case in which Salahuddin – who reportedly has taken shelter in Pakistan since 1989 – has been declared a proclaimed offender, paving the way for authorities to send an official request for his arrest. The NIA charge sheet showed that Rs130 million had been pumped into the Kashmir Valley for Jammu and Kashmir Affectees Relief Trust (JKART), an organisation allegedly used by Hizbul Mujahideen to help the freedom fighters.

It was claimed that the flow of funds raised and distributed by Hizbul Muajahideen was established during investigation of different channels used to send funds to the state by Hizbul Majahideen like hawala, banking network, cross border trade etc. The investigation agency said that the probe had found that the accused Mohd Shafi Shah alias Dawood had allegedly collected the aforesaid amount and distributed it at the behest of Hizbul Mujahideen.

The others named in the charge sheet include Salahuddin’s deputy Gulam Nabi Khan alias Amir Khan, Umer Farooq Shera alias Mehboobul Haq, Manzoor Ahmed Dar alias Masroor Dar, Zaffar Hussain Bhat alias Khursheed, Nazir Ahamd Dar alias Shabir Ellahi, Abdul Majeed Sofi alias Majeed Bisati and Mubarak Shah. They have been charged with various provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

‘INDIAN INTRANSIGENCE MAIN
HURDLE IN KASHMIR RESOLUTION’

In an interview to Srinagar-based newspaper Greater Kashmir on Sunday,Syed Salahuddin said Indian intransigence, dilly-dallying tactics and military hegemony have been major hurdles in the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

Syed Salahuddin appealed the people of the occupied territory to boycott the forthcoming so-called elections. He said it was unfortunate that India had been exploiting elections in its favour very unrealistically at the international fora. He pointed out the Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, in contrast to historic realities told the UN General Assembly that Kashmiris had time and again endorsed their accession to India by taking part in general elections.

Syed Salahuddin maintained that sham polls were no substitute to plebiscite and Kashmiris’ right to self-determination, which had been promised to them by the world community as well as the leadership of India and Pakistan so many times.

“Even the first prime minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru and others acknowledged that Kashmiris would be given their inalienable right to determine their political fate,” he said, adding despite the passage of 65 years this promised right was not granted to the people of Kashmir. He pointed out that the Kashmiris had not conceded their legitimate demand despite going through trials and tribulations.
The UJC Chairman deplored world’s apathy towards the sufferings of Kashmiris. “The people of Kashmir have bitterly felt the criminal silence of United Nations, the Security Council and the world powers for not playing their role regarding the final settlement of the Kashmir dispute,” he stated.

Commenting on India’s plan to build a big wall along the LoC, he said, on one hand, India invites Kashmiri leadership for dialogue while on the other, it has a sinister design to erect a huge wall along the ceasefire line. He said that building a wall along the LoC was not only a gross violation of international laws but it was also part of a greater conspiracy to bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir, which, he said, would not be allowed at any cost.

Salahuddin urged the world human rights bodies to take cognizance of the deteriorating human rights situation in Occupied Kashmir and plight of illegally detained Kashmiris languishing in different jails.

He also welcomed the release of the Executive Director of Kashmiri American Council, Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, in the US. “Dr Fai is a true representative of Kashmiris on diplomatic front in the West especially in America,” he said.

, adding that as the Executive Director of KAC he made an unprecedented contribution to the Kashmir cause by highlighting sufferings of the Kashmir people and projecting the Kashmir liberation movement in its real historical perspective.

Source: The Nation