(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Pakistan has expressed its 'disappointment with the US decision to designate Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), led by Pakistan-based Syed Salahuddin, as a foreign terrorist organisation under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and as a ‘Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Section 1(b) of the Executive Order 13224.
Instead, the government pointed to Indian involvement in subversive and terrorist activities. The US said that this decision was to seek to deny HM the resources it needs to carry out terrorist attacks.
The notification by the US Department of State says Hizbul Mujahideen, formed in 1989,
is one of the largest and oldest militant groups operating in Kashmir.
'Hizbul Mujahideen is led by Specially Designated Global Terrorist Mohamed Yusuf Shah, also known as Syed Salahuddin. Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including the April 2014, explosives attack in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, which injured 17 people, it said.
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Khawaja Mohamed Asif, readying for a visit to Washington, yesterday did not comment directly on the US decision but instead stated that Pakistan shall continue to extend political, diplomatic and moral support for the just struggle of the Kashmiri people for realisation of the right to self-determination and the peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.
In a statement, he warned that New Delhi should read the writing on the wall that its repressive policies can never succeed in suppressing the Kashmiris from demanding the right to self-determination confirmed to them by UN Security Council resolutions.
'Neither Indian presence in IHK, nor its brutal actions against defenceless Kashmiris are lawful. The 70-year-old indigenous struggle of Kashmiris in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir remains legitimate.
The designation of individuals or groups supporting the Kashmiri right to self- determination as terrorists is completely unjustified. The gross and systematic violation of human rights of the Kashmiri people in IHK that have been recorded and reported by independent human rights bodies is a reality, the foreign minister added.
He urged the world community and human rights organisations to take notice of the deteriorating human rights situation in IHK and invited the attention of the UN Secretary General towards the Indian nefarious designs of bringing demographic changes in IHK in order to convert the Muslim majority of the area into minority.
'These include abrogation of Article 35-A of Indian constitution, settlement of West Pakistan Refugees, giving land to non-Kashmiri industrialists, and establishment of Sainik colonies. These actions are in complete violation of UN Security Council resolutions, as well as international law and norms, which prohibit bringing material changes to a disputed territory, he said while noting that the intended demographic changes would undermine the prospects of holding a free and fair plebiscite in the IHK required by UNSC resolutions.
Earlier the Foreign Office while expressing 'disappointment over the latest US decision pointed to Hindu terrorist organisations that are perpetrating terrorist attacks in India and blaming it on others.
'How long will the conscience of the fair-minded remain unaffected? We have flagged our concerns with regard to Indian involvement in subversive and terrorist activities, as well as espionage within Pakistan, as Commander Kulbhushan Jhadev himself testified. We also raise the issue of use of Afghan soil by India to perpetrate terrorism in Pakistan, with not only the US but also many other countries. In the context of Indian involvement in terrorism and terror financing in Pakistan, we have also submitted dossiers to UN Secretary General, the spokesman told the weekly media briefing.
He also pointed out to the fact that Hurriyat leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Yaseen Malik, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Aasiya Andrabi, Mussarat Alam Bhat, Fahmeeda Sofi, etc. were facing threats to their lives while in detention/house arrest in the IHK.
'They have been deprived of life saving medicines and Shabbir Ahmad Shah has also received threats to his life in the infamous Tihar jail. He has been kept with dangerous inmates. Indian forces are in contravention of all human rights conventions on human rights and right to life as well as the UN
Charter, the spokesman added.
In a response to a query, the spokesman said the visit of Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua was helpful in setting the direction to our bilateral relations.
'This was not a one-off meeting; we have regular institutionalised mechanism in place, whereby bilateral political consultations take place. This was second meeting in consecutive years. You are also aware that earlier exchanges and high level contacts between Pakistan and Afghanistan were instrumental in increasing co-operation between the two sides and developing better understanding of each other's issues, he said.
In this regard, he pointed to previous interactions including London meeting between former Adviser Sartaj Aziz and Afghan NSA Hanif Atmar, parliamentary exchanges, Astana meeting between the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and President Ashraf Ghani.
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